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The Royals' President of Baseball Operations delivered pretty clear messaging to the media after selecting outfielder Zion Rose sixth overall. He didn't sugarcoat it, especially after a brutal first half that saw the Royals go 38-59, which tied them with the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim) for the worst record in baseball at the All-Star Break. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== The Royals have long employed a strategy of selecting the "best available player" in the first round while still leaving enough money to sign some high-upside overslot players later in the MLB Draft. Picollo and Scouting Director Brian Bridges certainly aimed for that in this Draft, as they selected a mix of college and prep players who likely will command higher-than-expected slot deals from the Royals. This should help boost a system that is pretty thin in Double-A and Triple-A at the moment. Still, the big mark on Picollo and the Royals' scouting department and farm system has been that they haven't "hit" on a majority of their first-round picks. This problem isn't just a Picollo issue; it dates back to former President of Baseball Operations Dayton Moore, who struggled to find success with his first-round selections after the 2015 World Series. Will Rose be the "slam-dunk big leaguer" that the Royals need from this MLB Draft? Furthermore, did they address any glaring needs in their system in this Draft (especially given the assumed savings from the Rose selection)? What to Like From This Royals Draft While the Rose selection was controversial, one can appreciate the Royals highlighting a guy who fit what they needed and going after him instead of waiting until pick 30 and missing out on him completely. Rose had gotten a lot of helium heading into the MLB Draft, and even Baseball America, in its post-Draft discussion, said that Rose going at No. 6 wasn't as surprising as some may have thought, given the rankings. I think things came between Rose and Eric Booth Jr., who was initially reported as the Royals' pick by Joe Doyle of Overslot.com, who spoiled pretty much every first-round draft pick. In many ways, Booth and Rose feel like similar players in terms of their profiles, as they are both athletic guys with great speed and intriguing ceilings. The main difference is that Booth has a higher ceiling for power, while Rose has a better contact tool now (Booth's contact tool may be the weakest part of his game). The Royals liked both players and probably would've been happy with either. That said, they valued Rose's proximity to the Majors and more polished profile more, even if it means they lose out on a player in Booth who may have more long-term upside. I don't think the Royals' poor record this year affected their decision to draft Rose over Booth. That said, there is likely urgency for Picollo to get this Draft on, and Rose carries far less risk than Booth, a prep outfielder. They can't wait for a Booth to develop like Sean Gamble or Blake Mitchell. Some may disagree with that strategy, but considering the Royals have heavily invested in prep guys in two of the past three drafts (Mitchell in 2023 and Gamble in 2025), I don't mind the Royals going with the more MLB-ready prospect now, especially considering the Royals' lack of high-profile outfielders in this system at this moment. That is Rose is definitely a guy many have warmed up to, even though Jared Perkins, Joel Penfield, and I were shocked when the pick was initially announced. While some have compared this pick to Gavin Cross in 2022, who was expected to be a fast-moving outfielder due to his polished profile from Virginia Tech, I think Rose has much better tools and batted-ball skills than Cross did coming out of college. Rose also definitely feels like an incredible competitor and high-grade human being, as evidenced by this interview with Jared Perkins and the Just Baseball team earlier in the year. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Speaking of the Royals needing players who could have an impact at the Major League level sooner rather than later, Kansas City seemed to nab a lot of college pitching in this Draft. Of the 16 pitchers they selected in this Draft, 14 of them were college arms. Here's a list of all those college pitchers selected by the Royals over the past two days: Taylor Rabe, RHP, Ole Miss (No. 30) Maxx Yehl, LHP, West Virginia (No. 91) Ethan McElvain, LHP, Arkansas (No. 151) Justin LeGuernic, LHP, Clemson (No. 180) Dylan Vigue, RHP, Georgia (No. 209) Grant Fontenot , RHP, LSU (No. 299) Lance Hartley, RHP, College of Central Florida (No. 359) Dalton Hill, RHP, Nicholls State (No. 389) Madden Clement, LHP, Virginia Tech (No. 449) Dylan Alonso, RHP, Troy (No. 479) Richie Roman, RHP, Houston (No. 509) Cooper Corkrean, LHP, New Mexico (No. 539) Riley McDonald, RHP, State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (No. 599) There are a couple of Junior College arms on that list (Hartley and McDonald), but for the most part, all these pitchers are polished college guys who could move quickly, especially as relievers. Rabe definitely has upside of any of the pitchers drafted and could be a No. 2-3 starter at the MLB level. Some have compared him to Brady Singer, and it's easy to see that comparison based on their pitching styles, though I like Rabe's repertoire a lot more than Singer's coming out of college. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Yehl is another arm with some starter upside, though he may be more of a three- or four-starter type. He came back from Tommy John surgery in 2025 and really anchored a Mountaineers rotation that reached the College World Series. In fact, getting two pitchers who played in the 2026 CWS is an underrated aspect. That experience shows they can pitch against quality competition and big moments. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== In Day Two, they went college-heavy, opting for arms with lower ceilings, but higher floors that can move quickly. There's a nice mix of Power 5 and Mid-Major guys who not only have a solid outlook, but could sign right away. That is important because it means they will enter the Royals Farm System immediately and have a shot at making an impact in Low-A Columbia or High-A Quad Cities, at the very least. While the college arms are nice, the low-ceiling approach with these arms also opened the opportunity to select some intriguing prep talents. Prep pitchers Jack Slightom and Hudson DeVaughan could be the two best pitchers from this Royals draft after Rabe. Pipeline ranked them 89th and 138th, respectively, in their Top 250 ranking, and it's easy to see why. Both are 6'5 dudes with great frames and solid fastballs that could gain velocity as they mature and grow into their frames. Slightom is a four-pitch pitcher with an electric fastball that sits 94-96 with 98 MPH upside. He dominated Illinois high school hitters and also seemed to do well on the showcase circuit. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== As for DeVaughan, he's a special pitching prospect with serious top-of-the-rotation upside. He was hitting 98 MPH in high school, and many remarked that he has great feel and command for a prep pitching prospect. The main issue will be prying him away from his commitment to Alabama, so a lot of overslot money will be dedicated to DeVaughan (hopefully). data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== On the hitting side, the Royals made some nice splashes in rounds 4, 9, and 14. In the fourth round, they selected Dominic Battista, a prep bat from the Chicago area. While he's not a big guy now, he's athletic, has budding power, and has tools that could blossom in professional ball. He's a player I didn't know much about going into the MLB Draft, but I like him as a high-ceiling, high-risk prep outfielder complement to the safer outfielder in Rose. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== In the ninth, the Royals went with a college guy, but one with tremendous upside that will be an overslot signee. Camden Johnson was the starting shortstop on an Oklahoma team that won the national championship, and he's an athletic player with four solid tools. He can play multiple positions well, and he feels like an upgraded version of Nick Loftin. That is great to have, and he could be a dude who could compete for a Royals roster spot in the second half of 2028 or on Opening Day in 2029. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== The Royals definitely had a nice balance of safety and risk in this Draft, and it's easy to see the riskier picks pan out, as they fit this organization's strengths on both the hitting and pitching sides. What Not To Like From This Royals Draft The Royals' Draft this year is definitely deep, benefiting from a strong crop of pitchers, especially college pitchers. However, it did feel like this Draft was colored by the fact that Kansas City is 21 games under .500 so far this year. Even though injuries have certainly taken their toll on the Royals this year, the reality is that this organization has disappointed greatly in 2026. Maybe thinking 85 wins was optimistic, but Kansas City is on pace for 100 losses. That is something that no Royals fan saw coming back in Spring Training, especially after back-to-back winning seasons in 2024 and 2025. It definitely felt like Bridges and Picollo drafted with the next couple of years being crucial. Rose is not a project. Neither is Rabe, Yehl, Johnson, nor the slew of college arms they selected on Day Two. Thus, it feels like the Royals sacrificed some long-term upside in this Draft. While they did get some high-ceiling prep players, it didn't seem as much as it could've been, especially since Bridges has preferred this profile in his past two years running the Royals draft. The Draft is complicated because simply "drafting best available" is not always realistic in the current slot system. Teams have to be judicious with how much they can and need to allocate at each selection. There is a balance between drafting for "upside" and drafting for "practicality". This Draft seemed to lean more toward the former than the latter. Was that the correct strategy? Only time will tell. That said, the good thing is Royals fans will know the answer to that question real soon, perhaps by the end of the 2027 season. Overall Grade On Day One, I gave the Royals a C+. I liked the Rose selection, but was curious whether Rabe, Slightom, Yehl, and Battista were enough to offset the Royals' "reach" on Rose in the first round. Day Two was a much better one. They built some nice pitching depth that has been sorely needed. Many of the 2026 college pitchers selected could be in Double-A by midseason in 2027. Considering their lack of pitching depth in Omaha and Northwest Arkansas, that is a good thing. That said, they made some nice oversloots on Day Two. Johnson is an excellent selection who probably should've been a Day One guy, and I think he could move fast and be a borderline Top-10 Royals prospect by this offseason. DeVaughan will be a tough sign because of that SEC commitment, but if the Royals save money on Rose, it would make sense for them to dedicate a ton of resources to their 19th-rounder. He's that good. He could be a first-round selection in two years. Based on those results, I would give the Royals' Day Two Draft an A-. Put those together, and the Royals have a B grade for this Draft. And B is good. Granted, I think we were hoping for an A Draft, but Jackson Flora and Carson Boleman had to fall to Kansas City to make that happen. They didn't (they went to the Giants instead). Thus, I think this is the best the Royals could have done given the circumstances. I don't think drafting Booth or Drew Burress makes a difference on the grade, with all things considered. Even if the Royals drafted either of those guys, they likely don't draft Johnson or DeVaughan in the process. I'll take that quantity here over quality, especially considering the farm system's needs. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins have emphasized versatility when constructing their roster over the last few seasons. Players capable of handling multiple positions give manager Derek Shelton (or former manager Rocco Baldelli) more options when building his lineup, mixing and matching based on opposing pitchers, injuries, or late-game situations. On paper, it makes plenty of sense. A flexible roster should maximize matchups, while allowing the Twins to maintain depth without sacrificing offense. But despite all that versatility, Minnesota has spent much of the 2026 season effectively operating with a 25-man roster. One player has consistently occupied the final bench spot while rarely receiving opportunities to contribute. Why would the Twins do this? The answer, like in many aspects of life, is complicated. James Outman Never Found His Opportunity To open the season, that player was James Outman. Acquired from the Dodgers last July, Outman entered spring training without any minor-league options remaining. Rather than risk losing him, the Twins kept him on the Opening Day roster, hoping he could rediscover the tools that once made him one of baseball's most intriguing young outfielders. That opportunity never materialized. Outman started only 17 games, despite appearing in 49 contests. Most of those appearances came as a late-inning defensive replacement or pinch-runner instead of meaningful offensive opportunities. It's difficult for any hitter to establish a rhythm under those circumstances, but Outman also failed to capitalize on the limited chances he did receive. He slashed just .156/.229/.250 with five extra-base hits in 70 plate appearances while producing -0.3 rWAR. The Twins eventually designated him for assignment in mid-June, and the Detroit Tigers claimed him off waivers. For Minnesota, the experiment quietly came to an end. Kyler Fedko Followed the Same Path Outman's departure created an opportunity for Kyler Fedko. The Twins' 12th-round selection from the University of Connecticut in the 2021 MLB Draft has steadily climbed the organizational ladder and finally forced the club's hand with his production at Triple-A St. Paul. Fedko hit .286/.372/.578 with a .950 OPS through 58 games with the Saints this season. He blasted 15 home runs, drove in 45 runs, scored 44 times, and added nine stolen bases. After swiping 38 bases across Double-A and Triple-A last season, he has continued to show the blend of athleticism and power that made him one of the organization's biggest breakout stories. Yet, his first taste of the big leagues looked remarkably similar to Outman's stint. He started just four of the 14 games in which he played, but it's hard to blame the Twins for their lack of faith: he went hitless in 19 plate appearances. More telling is how those opportunities came. Only three of his appearances included more than two plate appearances in a game. In seven games, he entered solely as a pinch-runner or defensive replacement and never stepped into the batter's box. For a player trying to prove he belongs in the majors, those scattered opportunities make an already difficult adjustment even more challenging. Is This the Best Use of a Roster Spot? The question isn't necessarily whether Fedko deserves everyday playing time. The Twins have Byron Buxton, Luke Keaschall, Trevor Larnach, and other established outfield options ahead of him. Finding consistent at-bats isn't easy for a contending club trying to win every night. But if the coaching staff doesn't envision enough opportunities for Fedko to play, why did they carry him for even three weeks in the majors? As I wrote about earlier this season, the answer is likely that the front office doesn’t believe in Fedko. Now, he's back in St. Paul, where regular at-bats will do more for his long-term development than sitting on the end of the major-league bench. However, at least for the final series before the All-Star break, Fedko's place on the roster was taken by a third catcher, as Ryan Jeffers returned from the injured list. Again, the team is going with a low-utility plan for that final spot. A Familiar Pattern This isn't simply about Outman or Fedko. It's about a roster construction strategy that has left one spot largely unused for much of the year. In previous years, the Twins have done this with players like DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Carson McCusker. Whether the Twins are trying to preserve organizational depth, evaluate players, or simply avoid exposing someone to waivers, the result has been the same. One player rarely plays. With the American League Wild Card race expected to remain tight throughout the summer, every roster spot becomes increasingly valuable. Injuries pile up, rosters get taxed, and bench depth can decide close games. If the final player on the roster isn't receiving meaningful opportunities, it's fair to wonder whether that spot could be better utilized elsewhere. The Twins have built a roster around flexibility. Ironically, their handling of the final bench spot has been anything but. Can the Twins continue to survive with a 25-man roster while one player gathers dust at the end of the bench? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Sit in on just a few Pat Murphy media sessions, and you'll learn that the Brewers manager regularly goes off on tangents. Many of those asides have nothing to do with baseball, but sometimes, when Murphy is dissatisfied with the pregame questions he's received from the press, he'll keep the baseball talk going himself. That's what he did one day in April, in response to a question about Joey Ortiz's recent at-bats. "I'll let you in on this," Murphy said to the writers and broadcasters assembled in his office, gesturing to one of the many papers strewn across his desk. When he assesses the Brewers' at-bats during his postgame interview, Murphy often consults that sheet of paper, which, at first glance, appears to be a traditional scorecard. It's more than that, though. The card, Murphy explained, is filled with shorthand symbols. It's his method of evaluating at-bats in real time. "I make notations on the type of at-bat it is," he said. "If it's a dot, that means solid at-bat. If it's a plus, that means really good. If it's a minus, that means ******. If it's an equal sign, that means, 'Meh.'" Box scores date back to the beginning of professional baseball, but today's players, coaches, and analysts have more information than ever to quantify process, not just outcomes. Rather than chasing results, hitters are better off focusing on actions they can control—swinging at the right pitches and making the right kind of contact—that produce good results more often than not. That's what Murphy is doing. In essence, his notations are his simplified version of a live Statcast feed. He's tracking the process, not just the results. At times, there's extra nuance due to the game situation or other less tangible factors. "If it's an 11-pitch strikeout, I might give them an equal sign. Good battle," Murphy said. "But the key is to not have too many minuses. That's what gets guys in trouble, the minus, minus, minus. Poor at-bats, at-bats that hurt us." A hitter's Statcast overview on their Baseball Savant page includes several metrics evaluating how well they impact the ball. There's hard-hit rate, which is based solely on exit velocity. Sweet spot rate focuses more on launch angle, reporting how many batted balls are hit at the best trajectories for line drives and fly balls to the outfield gaps. It won't give a hitter credit for hard-hit ground balls or pop-ups. Murphy doesn't read Baseball Savant pages. He'll say that his eyes can see what the technology tracks. There's a good chance he doesn't know that sweet spot rate is a stat, but he tracks a crude version of it on his card. "Hard contacts are usually a plus," Murphy said. "If it's straight down or straight up, I can't give you a plus. I can give you a dot, not a plus." He even tracks his own version of what Statcast defines as a barrel: a ball hit at least 98 mph within a certain launch angle range (in other words, a very hard-hit ball in the air). It's not the same term, nor exactly the same criteria, but it's the same concept. "If you get one good and it goes on that perfect trajectory… I'll give you a plus with a circle," Murphy said. As with most information gleaned from the eye test, it's not nearly as accurate as numbers tracked by state-of-the-art technology. It's probably safe to say the Brewers don't build their models to include direct input from Murphy's scorecards. "It's not scientific," Murphy said with a laugh. "It's really for me to remember without putting the actual scoring down there." There's still a benefit to it, though, and it reinforces how a manager with an old-school background continues working productively with an analytical front office. Even if Murphy's evaluation method is less scientific, he and the ivory tower often value the same skills and the same approach to the game. He just needs that information to be tracked and packaged in a language that makes sense to his baseball mind. View the full article

Although not all good, Wrigley Field has held some dear memories for fans of the Florida/Miami Marlins. It’s the place where the club won its second National League pennant and most recent postseason series. While it didn’t quite bring that level of jubilation, the Florida Marlins picked up a victory worth remembering at the “Friendly Confines” on this day 15 years ago. Shut out for eight innings, the Marlins erupted for six runs in the ninth inning in a 6-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. It didn’t appear as though it would be Florida’s night as the Marlins and Cubs opened a four-game set on July 14, 2011. Matt Garza had given the Cubs seven shutout innings before Sean Marshall worked a 1-2-3 eighth. As the contest shifted to the ninth, Chicago turned to right-hander Carlos Marmól with a 2-0 lead. An All-Star for the Cubs in 2008, Marmól walked the first three batters he faced while mixing in just one total strike. Against pinch hitter Greg Dobbs, the Chicago right-hander was able to finally find the strike zone, but the results were even worse. On the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Dobbs doubled down the right-field line, scoring two. A throwing error by Chicago’s Darwin Barney allowed a third run to score as the Marlins took the lead. Following another four-pitch walk – this one to Emilio Bonifácio – Marmól’s night was done. Florida’s big inning, however, wasn't done. With Florida now leading 3-2, Kerry Wood came in and walked Omar Infante. After Gaby Sánchez’s sacrifice fly extended the lead to 4-2, Hanley Ramírez singled home Bonifácio to push it to 5-2. Lefty James Russell then became the third Cubs pitcher to throw in the inning. Russell started by getting Logan Morrison to ground out. Following an intentional walk to Giancarlo (then known as "Mike") Stanton, Mike Cameron singled in Infante to cap a six-run inning. Now down 6-2, the Cubs did their best to make things interesting in the bottom of the ninth. Tony Campana and Geovany Soto opened with back-to-back singles off Juan Carlos Oviedo (then known as Leo Núñez). Although a run scored on a passed ball, Oviedo retired the next three batters to end the contest. Prior to the ninth, the Cubs’ runs had come courtesy of a Marlon Byrd solo home run in the second and a Barney hit by pitch with the bases loaded in the seventh inning. Soto had four of the eight Chicago hits. Bonifácio and Infante each had two hits for the Marlins. The big ninth inning gave the Marlins the opener of what would be a four-game series at Wrigley. Florida ended up taking three of those contests. To that point in the season, the six runs in the ninth was the most that the Marlins had scored in any inning that season. They came on this day 15 years ago. View the full article

Given all the draft talk this past weekend, seems fitting that the 59th overall pick out of Vanderbilt saw his first action in nearly six weeks. Mother Nature had her say to some extent in all three rookie level games. Transaction: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers sent LHP J.D. Thompson on a rehab assignment to ACL Brewers. It is not believed we've been told the specifics of Thompson's injury. Suspended in the 3rd inning: ACL Brewers 2, ACL Dodgers 0 Box Score and Game Log (Thus far) Play was halted with two outs in the bottom of the 3rd in Maryvale. The Brewers have men on 1st and 3rd base with first baseman Jonathan Rangel at the plate. Rehabbing LHP JD Thompson, who had not pitched with Wisconsin since leaving his June 2nd start early, threw two scoreless innings, inducing ground ball outs to the first four batters he faced. He ended the 2nd inning with a strikeout (on an automatic strike), a single and a lineout. RHP Caleb Nieman stranded two in the 3rd. The A-Crew patched together a two-out rally to plate a run in the 2nd and grab the lead - a Rangel walk, Leonard Rijo ground ball single to right, moving Rangel to 3rd, and Engel Paulino double on a pop up to apparent no-man's land behind first base. Catcher Freider Rojas fanned leaving two in scoring position. In the Maryvale 3rd, Brailyn Antunez singled with one out, followed by a Kenny Fenelon hit-by-pitch. Gerlyn Payano, acting as the DH in this game, doubled to center scoring Antunez but Fenelon was thrown out at third base for the second out. A wild pitch moved Payano to third base and shortstop CJ Hughes walked before the game was called due to rare Arizona rain. This game will be completed this coming Saturday the 18th at the Dodgers' complex in Glendale, a second game will follow. Final: DSL Brewers Blue 5, DSL Astros Blue 3, game called after the top of the 8th at the Brewers complex, lightning Box Score and Game Log After Houston's youngsters grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the 3rd, the men in blue put up a four-spot driven almost completely by wildness from the Astros starter, with only one base hit for the good guys. That one hit was a big two-run blow by the Brewers shortstop: José Rodríguez triples (2) on a fly ball to center fielder Yensi De La Cruz. Jesus Mancera scores. Diego Frontado scores. On this light activity scoreboard, it'll be easy for you to review full game logs in detail, but we'll tell you the Cerveceros worked ten walks overall, four in that inning. An insurance run to go up 5-1 was scored in the following frame and without the benefit of a hit (two more walks, an Astros error). In fact, there were only two Blue base hits all game, with just-turned 17-year-old wunderkid Leanders Matos, playing second base here, having the only hit beyond the Rodriguez triple (Matos singled and walked). Also reaching base twice (all walks) were two players who have struggled offensively, RF Eryks Rivero and LF Jesus Mancera, the #8 and #9 hitters in Monday's lineup. We will definitely see second-year RHP Carlos Galindo in Maryvale in 2027. Check out how consistent the stat lines between 2025 and 2026 are for the Colombian native. 6'4" 16-year-old (yes, still for a few more weeks) RHP Jordy Brache struck out six over the final three innings, allowing two runs, and was credited with his first professional save thanks to Mother Nature, though it's possible he may have been asked to pitch the 9th inning as well. Final: DSL Orioles Orange 4, DSL Brewers Gold 1, Game called with two out in the bottom of the 8th at the Orioles' complex, rain Box Score and Game Log There were two Baltimore runners on base when the game was called. It was a third consecutive strong outing for 19-year-old RHP Derlin Garcia, as his game log reveals. Gold scored its lone run in the 5th when shortstop Ricky Moneys drove in second baseman Santiago Garcia, who had flied an opposite-field triple to right with one out. Moneys also grounded into a double play and committed his 6th error in 18 games, so the RBI was barely a consolation prize. 16-year-old (until next month) Angeni Fernandez played center field here and had another strong game at the plate, 2-for-4 with a double (.929 OPS on the season). Fernandez has started 17 times in center, five times in left, and five times at second base. Team RISP: 0-for-9. Team LOB: 6. You can watch Fernandez' double at the 01:32:00 hour/minute mark below, where his five-pitch at-bat begins. It seems the video skipped over the Brewers offense in the 6th, either that or the scorebug didn't update properly for a few innings. I investigated, but if you venture to identify a time stamp for the Garcia triple, let us know in the comments, thanks. The rookie ballers continue play with a traditional Tuesday schedule, two Dominican League games in the morning, and a game in Arizona under the lights. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article

The 2026 MLB Draft offered the league's 30 franchises the opportunity to add its next wave of stars. This year, the New York Mets had a clear plan to add pitching depth to the organization. They accomplished that goal by spending 13 of their 19 selections -- and six of their first seven choices -- on collegiate arms. In all, New York utilized nearly half its picks (9) on players from college baseball's consensus top conference (SEC). The Mets only dipped into the high school ranks for two players, including a catcher in the 13th round that easily could have been selected much earlier. No matter where these players were chosen, or where they were plucked from, they're now on the same team, competing together and against one another for the same goal: to reach the majors. Let's break down the totality of the New York Mets' 2026 draft class: Round 1, Pick No. 27: Carson Wiggins, RHP - Arkansas Wiggins did not play for the Razorbacks in 2026 due to injury. The prior year, he racked up 20 strikeouts in 14 innings out of the bullpen. He is the 16th Arkansas player, and seventh Hogs' pitcher, to be a first-round MLB Draft choice. He now has bragging rights over his brother, Jaxon, who went No. 68 overall (Chicago Cubs) in the 2023 MLB Draft. Round 3, Pick No. 92: Aiden Robbins, OF - Texas The Mets surely had more access to watch Robbins in-person when he was at Seton Hall in 2024 and 2025. He was unfazed by the higher caliber of competition the SEC offered, posting a .333/.426/.696 slash line (1,122 OPS) for the Longhorns in 2026. Round 4, Pick No. 120: Shane Sdao, LHP - Texas A&M Sdao is a rarity in college sports these days, having stayed an Aggie for his entire collegiate career. His ERA ballooned to a 7.07 last season, but he still tallied 83 strikeouts across 71 1/3 innings. For an extended read of the Mets' first three draft choices, click here. Round 5, Pick No. 152: Luke McNeillie, RHP - Florida McNeillie's 18 appearances in 2026 were his fewest in any single campaign as a Gator. His 3.97 ERA, though, was the best of his career. Forty-eight strikeouts in 34 frames is also far from shabby. Round 6, Pick No. 181: Alex Petrovic, RHP - Auburn Through two years on The Plains, Petrovic made 14 appearances (5 starts) for the Tigers. He made 17 starts in year three, producing a 92:24 K:BB ratio and 10-2 record across 92 2/3 innings. Like McNeillie, his college-best ERA (3.21) came in 2026. Round 7, Pick No. 210: Aidan Keenan, RHP - Stanford Keenan functioned as a reliever in 2025, but six of his seven appearances in 2026 were starts. His best outing of the season came versus Cal State Fullerton, against whom he fired six innings of one-hit ball against on Feb. 21. Round 8, Pick No. 240: Landon Koenig, RHP - Ole Miss The ERA for Koenig (6.35) doesn't jump off the page, but 33 punchouts in 22 2/3 frames does. The North Dakota native posted a career WHIP of 1.77, though, hinting that he'll need to focus on his command if he wants to rise through the system. Round 9, Pick No. 270: Ryan Tayman, C - Cal Poly Tayman earned Co-Big West Player of the Year honors last season behind a .357/.447/,.672 slash line and 38 extra-base hits. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament's Los Angeles Regional after hitting .500 to lead the Mustangs to the Super Regionals. Round 10, Pick No. 300: Nate Isler, RHP - Dartmouth At 6-foot-6, Isler holds a big presence on the bump. He tossed at least six frames in seven of 11 starts for Big Green a season ago, including a game against Columbia where he went 9 2/3 innings. Dartmouth got the win that day, but he had a no-decision. Round 11, Pick No. 330: Kuhio Aloy, OF - Arkansas Aloy took a step back in 2026, as his OPS dropped more than 100 points (.943 to .838). We don't mention this to bash him; in fact, it's the opposite. The Mets helping him regain his 2025 form would be quite the coup this late in the draft. Round 12, Pick No. 360: AJ Krodel, RHP - UC Santa Barbara Jackson Flora was the Gauchos' headliner last year, but Krodel led the team in appearances (25). Each of those outings were in relief, but his four-pitch mix -- fastball, changeup, sweeper and curveball -- suggests there's starting potential in his arm. Round 13, Pick No. 390: Jacob Madrid, C - Notre Dame High School Madrid, New York's first high school selection, is an Oregon commit. The 6-foot-5 backstop was MLB.com's No. 171 draft prospect and is lauded for an "advanced" defensive package, which scouts believe give him a high floor. Madrid hails from the same high school as big leaguers Hunter Greene and Giancarlo Stanton. Round 14, Pick No. 420: Zach Crotchfelt, LHP - Troy Crotchfelt ranked second on the Trojans in appearances (29) and ERA (3.49) last year. His efforts helped Troy reach the College World Series for the first time. In Omaha, he recorded the final three outs of the program's first CWS victory, a 12-8 win over Ole Miss. Round 15, Pick No. 450: Dustin Hagens Jr., RHP - Missouri-St. Louis You probably haven't seen Hagen twirl a baseball before, considering he's a Division-II player. He posted a 3.89 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings for the Tritons. Nine of his 18 walks came in his first three appearances (10 IP). The Mets hope the strides he made in that area will stick. Round 16, Pick No. 480: Gavin Guidry, RHP - LSU A back injury sidelined Guidry for the entirety of 2025. Prior to his ailment (2022-24), he pitched his way to a 3.23 ERA. He got back into the swing of things by striking out 59 batters in 43 2/3 innings this year. Round 17, Pick No. 510: Cooper Dossett, RHP - Arkansas Dossett is the third Razorback of this New York draft class. He allowed seven earned runs in his first two appearances of 2026, but yielded just six in the 14 appearances that followed. Round 18, Pick No. 540: Marcus Ward, OF - Kings Ridge Christian High School Ward, the second high school draftee of the Mets, is a Western Carolina commit. There's optimism that he'll be able to play center field because of his speed. As a hitter, he projects to have more of a contact tool than true power stroke. Round 19, Pick 570: John Smith III, OF - UCF Smith was a second-team All-Big 12 choice in 2026 thanks to a .322/.383/.574 slash line. He paced the Knights with 49 RBIs, seven of which came in a doubleheader against Utah. That day, he went 7-for-11 (.636) with three home runs. Round 20, Pick 600: Kooper Schulte, SS - Iowa Schulte spent time at two community colleges -- Central Arizona and Southeastern -- before latching on at Iowa in 2024. Last season, he homered twice in a game against Nebraska and led the Hawkeyes with 18 doubles. View the full article

Boston Red Sox Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 6-0 Runs Scored Last Week: 28 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 6 Standings 3rd in AL East 10 GB First Place 0.5 GB Third Wild Card Transactions 07/06/26: Boston Red Sox optioned LHP Alec Gamboa to Worcester Red Sox. 07/06/26: Boston Red Sox designated RHP Jack Anderson for assignment. 07/06/26: Boston Red Sox activated LHP Patrick Sandoval from the 60-day injured list. 07/07/26: Boston Red Sox sent 3B Nick Sogard on a rehab assignment to Worcester Red Sox. 07/07/26: OF Nate Eaton roster status changed by Boston Red Sox. 07/07/26: Boston Red Sox sent 3B Nick Sogard on a rehab assignment to Worcester Red Sox. 07/09/26: Boston Red Sox recalled 3B Brett Harris from Worcester Red Sox. 07/09/26: 1B Willson Contreras suspended. 07/09/26: Boston Red Sox activated OF Nate Eaton. 07/09/26: Boston Red Sox placed LHP Ranger Suarez on the 15-day injured list retroactive to July 6, 2026. Left groin strain. 07/11/26: Minnesota Twins claimed RHP Jack Anderson off waivers from Boston Red Sox. 07/11/26: Boston Red Sox optioned 3B Brett Harris to Worcester Red Sox. 07/11/26: Boston Red Sox recalled LHP Eduardo Rivera from Worcester Red Sox. 07/12/26: Boston Red Sox optioned 3B Nick Sogard to Worcester Red Sox. 07/12/26: Boston Red Sox recalled RHP Brayan Bello from Worcester Red Sox. 07/12/26: Boston Red Sox designated LHP Danny Coulombe for assignment. 07/12/26: Boston Red Sox activated 3B Nick Sogard from the 10-day injured list. Scores Game 89: BOS 8, CHW 1 Game 90: BOS 5, CHW 0 Game 91: BOS 2, CHW 1 Game 92: BOS 6, NYM 2 Game 93: BOS 4, NYM 0 Game 94: BOS 3, NYM 2 Series Breakdown/Highlights White Sox Series: The Red Sox looked to keep rolling after the sweep of the Angels to close out last week, and they faced a tough test in the form of the AL Central leading White Sox. While the South Side Sox were without All-Star Munetaka Murakami, they should have put up a decent fight since they are leading their division. Game one proved the Red Sox were about to keep their foot on the gas. Ceddanne Rafaela and Andruw Monasterio both homered while Willson Contreras, Romy Gonzalez, Jarren Duran, and Connor Wong all contributed RBIs. Rookie Payton Tolle dazzled on the mound again, tossing 6.2 scoreless innings while striking out six. Danny Coulombe did allow an earned run, but Justin Slaten, Garrett Whitlock, and Ryan Watson were scoreless out of the bullpen Game two was another shut out for the Red Sox. Outside of one RBI from Rafaela, the offense came from a couple of unlikely places. Tsung-Che Cheng contributed two RBIs and Carlos Narvaez knocked in a run as well. Jake Bennett continued to dazzle since being recalled to the major-league roster. He tossed seven innings of zero-run, four-strikeout baseball for the win. Greg Weissert and Jovani Moran closed out the game with no runs given up as well. In game three, the Red Sox managed to win a close game instead of counting on blowing the other team out of the water. Caleb Durbin knocked in both runs for the Red Sox on a two-run home run. Other than that, though, there was little to talk about offensively. Only Wilyer Abreu, Gonzalez, and Wong contributed hits to the team for this game. On the pitching side, a returning Patrick Sandoval looked really good on his limited pitch count. He tossed 4.1 innings while allowing one run and striking out five. Tyron Guerrero, Whitlock. Slaten, and Aroldis Chapman all contributed out of the bullpen in the win, with Chapman securing the save. Mets Series: For teams that were similar in almost every way just a few weeks ago, the Red Sox rolled into NYC and showed the Mets what a turnaround looks like. In game one, both Anthony Seigler and Abreu homered, driving in four of the six runs. Masataka Yoshida contributed the other two RBIs on the day. Sonny Gray pitched six innings of one-run baseball while striking out three, but he’s somehow not an All-Star. Guerrero, Whitlock, and Weissert all contributed out of the pen, with Weissert giving up an earned run as well. In game two, the Red Sox tossed another shut out. Yoshida and Monasterio both homered in the win, accounting for all four of the runs for the team. Eduardo Rivera tossed 3.2 innings while striking out three in the start after being recalled from Worcester. Weissert, Moran, Slaten, and Coulombe all came out of the bullpen to help secure the win. It would be Coulombe’s last outing for the Sox though, as he was designated for assignment almost immediately following the game. Game three was a sight to behold, and something that should give every Red Sox fan confidence moving forward. The Sox were outdueled for the majority of game three and the sole reason it went to extra innings was thanks to a Francisco Lindor error and a Duran bloop that likely should have been caught. Dave O’Brien called this game ‘the most memorable win of the season’ and he hit the nail on the head. The Red Sox proved they could win by playing small ball and taking advantage of mistakes made by the opposition. That’s what good teams always do, and the Red Sox are flirting dangerously close with being a good team as we head into the All-Star Break. The pitching was a bit wonky in this one as Tolle was working with a pitch count. He only tossed 3.2 innings, giving up one run while striking out seven. He was followed by recently recalled Brayan Bello who was dominant, as per usual, out of the bullpen. He threw 4.1 innings, striking out five, and allowing one earned run. Chapman and Whitlock came out of the bullpen to put the game away. On offense, Seigler, Monasterio, and Duran all came through to drive in RBIs so the Sox could walk away with their third series sweep in a row. Website Highlights Recapping Boston Red Sox’s 2026 Draft Class: A Typical Craig Breslow Draft Takes an Atypical Form by Nick John Analyzing Every Boston Red Sox Rounds 6-10 Draft Pick in 2026 MLB Draft by Jack Lindsay Sonny Gray is the Red Sox Trade Chip Craig Breslow Can’t Afford to Get Wrong by Alex Mayes John Holobetz is the Next Red Sox Pitching Prospect Worth Buying Into by Cory Sparks Looking Ahead 07/13-07/16: All-Star Break 07/17/26: Rays @ Red Sox: 1:35 PM EDT 07/17/26: Rays @ Red Sox: 7:10 PM EDT 07/18/26: Rays @ Red Sox: 4:10 PM EDT 07/19/26: Rays @ Red Sox: 1:35 PM EDT View the full article

Their first-rounder is understandably hogging many of the headlines given his pre-draft projection and local ties, but the Miami Marlins landed plenty of other intriguing talent in subsequent rounds. I've highlighted the five best draft picks that the Marlins made this year, based on value or sheer player evaluation. 1. Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS (FL) As a consensus top-10 prospect in the draft and a top-three high school prospect, the Miami native was not expected to be available at 14. Lombard has all the tools and family baseball lineage to be considered a 5-tool player, including 60-grade power potential and a high likelihood to stick at shortstop. The largest question looming with Lombard will be the hit tool. Poor contact rates and the tendency to chase are red flags, but the attack angles to the ball on his swing are strong, leading to high flyball rates and to his pull side. Overall, Lombard projects to be a 20-25 home run hitter with above-average to Gold Glove defense at shortstop. The Marlins will likely overslot Lombard, but the potential is worth all the money. 2. Ryan Peterson, RHP, Sam Houston State The Sam Houston State product went 71st overall in Competitive Balance Round B. His results in colleges were decent, 4.67 xFIP, 3.38 ERA, but a 2.62 SIERA, 22.2 K-BB%. and solid chase, whiff, but struggled with damage limitation. But the Marlins are betting on traits. Peterson has an amazing ability to spin the baseball, his repertoire fits how MLB teams approach pitching, deep mix, with the ability to spin the baseball. Peterson's fastball also has an extremely flat approach, similar to Bryan Woo, Joe Ryan, and Christian Scott. Peterson's extension down the mound also allows his fastball to play up despite his current lack of velocity. Peterson's tendency to throw strikes should improve with MLB pitching development along with his velocity. Shapes, repertoire, extension, and release heights make him an absolute pitching development darling in the modern game. 3. Trey Beard, LHP, Florida State With Trey Beard, the Marlins selected another college pitcher with unique release height and the ability to spin the baseball with different shapes. (Data visualization via overslotbaseball.com) Beard in 66.2 innings this prior season at Florida State University posted a 4.50 ERA, 3.93 xFIP, 2.35 SIERA and 24.9 K-BB%. He utilizes a high-carry fastball, big curveball, and tight slider. Beard also has a cutter and changeup in his pitch mix. Beard's ability like Peterson to spin the baseball combined with a unique release height and arm slot probably attracted the Marlins to him in the fifth round. 4. Nic Tolbert, 3B, Oktaha HS (OK) In the ninth round the Marlins selected Tolbert and announced him as a third baseman. Tolbert is massive at 6'6". A complete upside selection by the Marlins, the 18-year-old showcases large power potential from the left side of the plate. Tolbert, if signed will most likely get an over-slot deal, Tolbert struggles with offspeed and swing will need some adjustments, the Oklahoma product will need time in the minors and a lot of development, but all the raw tools are prevalent. 5. Colin Linder, RHP, Arizona State Miami's 15th-rounder has a long history of injuries and played mostly out the bullpen in 2026. The results were not good at all in 5.40 ERA, 5.99 xFIP, 4.00 SIERA, 11.2 K-BB%. But most MLB teams draft pitchers in college based on traits. Like the other two pitchers on this list, Linder is interesting from that standpoint. He has an extreme cut-ride fastball sitting 95 and touching 98, solid extension, high-release point, and good spin capacity. He also has a presence on the mound with his 6'5" stature. (Data visualization via overslotbaseball.com) Lacking any pitch that moves arm side, Linder will need to development another pitch to differentiate his shapes and keep hitters off balance. He also struggles with command, suggesting he will most likely work out of the bullpen going forward. He could move fast through the system as a reliever with his stuff if he's able to refine it. View the full article

When the Toronto Blue Jays signed Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract, some fans were surprised. That's No. 1 starter money, and not everyone viewed him as a surefire ace. The Blue Jays saw a pitcher who compiled more than 20.0 fWAR over the past five seasons, with two top-five Cy Young finishes to his name. Others saw a pitcher with a mid-4.00s ERA in two of the past three seasons, who had never even made an All-Star team. Any questions about Cease's acehood are looking awfully foolish half a season into his Blue Jays career. His ERA is two runs lower than it was in 2025, and he has finally made his first All-Star team. Not only that, but he'll be starting the game for the AL squad. Let's take a quick look back at the other Toronto pitchers who had that honour before him. Dave Stieb, 1983 Dave Stieb made back-to-back All-Star teams in 1980 and '81. In 1981, he became the first Blue Jays pitcher to finish an All-Star Game, something I'm hoping Louis Varland will get to accomplish tonight. Stieb failed to make the squad for a third straight year in 1982, although he earned his first Cy Young votes at the end of the season. Then, in 1983, he went 10-7 with a 2.54 ERA over a league-leading 148.2 innings in the season's first half. That performance earned him the ball to start the Midsummer Classic. The Blue Jays' ace threw three innings, striking out future Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt, Andre Dawson, and Tim Raines, as well as two-time MVP Dale Murphy. Stieb gave up a run in the first inning, due to an error of his own doing, but quickly settled in. He was the winning pitcher in a 13-3 AL victory. Stieb wasn't quite as dominant in the second half, but that's only because of how high he set the bar for himself. He finished the year with a 3.04 ERA in 36 starts. While he didn't earn any Cy Young support, he led the Junior Circuit in bWAR for a second year in a row. Dave Stieb, 1984 At the halfway mark of the 1984 season, Stieb was 9-3 with a 2.42 ERA in 137.2 innings pitched. He had fewer complete games, but other than that, he looked every bit as dominant as he had in the first half the year before. Unfortunately, he wasn't as successful in the All-Star Game. Stieb threw two innings and gave up two runs (one earned), this time taking the loss in a 3-1 game. By FanGraphs and Baseball Reference WAR, the 1984 season was the best of Stieb's career. His 7.9 bWAR led the major leagues, as did his 267.0 innings pitched and 146 ERA+. Despite that, he didn't get much love in the Cy Young voting at the end of the year. At least he got to start the All-Star Game for the second time in a row. Hard to complain about that. Fun fact: After seven years of only having one representative in the game, the Blue Jays had three All-Stars in 1984. Joining Stieb were second baseman Dámaso García and shortstop Alfredo Griffin. David Wells, 2000 David Wells began his career with the Blue Jays from 1987 to '92. Three years after he left Toronto, he became an All-Star for the first time with the Detroit Tigers. Another three years later, he made the All-Star team again as a member of the New York Yankees. The 2000 season was arguably the best of Wells's 21-year career. He made 35 starts, won 20 games, and led the majors with a 3.2% walk rate. His first half was particularly strong; he went 15-2 with a 3.44 ERA. Wells threw two scoreless innings for the AL All-Stars in 2000, striking out Sammy Sosa and Jason Kendall. The AL won the game, but they didn't score until the third inning, so Wells had to settle for a no-decision in his third and final All-Star Game appearance. Roy Halladay, 2009 Roy Halladay made six All-Star teams during his tenure with the Blue Jays, and he pitched in four of them (2002, '06, '08, and '09). In his last appearance for the AL squad, he finally earned his first start. He would go on to make two more All-Star teams with the Phillies, starting the game again in 2011. Funnily enough, he is the most recent pitcher to start the game for both Toronto and Philadelphia. That will change for both teams this year, when Cease faces off against Cristopher Sánchez tonight. Anyway, back to Halladay. The right-hander was 10-3 with a 2.85 ERA at the end of the first half. His performance in the Midsummer Classic wasn't his best work – he gave up three runs (two earned) in two innings – but it was still a historic performance. Halladay remains the most recent pitcher (Shohei Ohtani excluded) to take a plate appearance in the All-Star Game. (Don't hold your breath; he struck out.) Halladay went on to finish fifth in Cy Young voting in his final season in Toronto. He led the majors with four shutouts, nine complete games, and a 5.94 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Dylan Cease, 2026 Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees is the AL Cy Young front-runner, but he'll be sitting out the All-Star Game after pitching on Saturday. For what it's worth, John Schneider claims he would have gone with Cease for the start no matter what. Whether that's homerism or a little white lie, Cease is certainly deserving of the opportunity. His near-no-hitter last week brought him to the top of the AL fWAR leaderboard, with 3.7 fWAR to Schlitter's 3.4 (in three fewer starts!). Cease also leads the AL with 148 strikeouts, a 2.85 xERA, and a 2.96 SIERA. It's going to be fun to watch him take the mound tonight, and even more fun to see what he has in store for us in the second half of the season. View the full article

Minnesota’s professional sports teams are having a renaissance when it comes to throwback uniforms. In 2023, the Vikings finally brought back the home uniforms that were based on their original 1960s/1970s home uniform. That same fall, the Timberwolves brought back the original home uniforms from the franchise’s first six seasons and followed it up this past season by bringing back their iconic black “trees” uniforms that were famously worn during the Kevin Garnett era. The Wild wore the original white jerseys from their inaugural season this past year to commemorate their 25th season in the National Hockey League. Even Minnesota United tried a faux throwback that paid homage to the Minnesota Kicks last season, despite the fact the club had only been in Major League Soccer since 2017 (the Kicks were an NASL team from 1976-1981, for those wondering). Now, in 2026, the Minnesota Twins are joining the Minnesota throwback party as they gear up for the Field of Dreams game on August 13th against the Philadelphia Phillies. For one of Major League Baseball’s signature events of the season, the Twins will be wearing their original home uniforms from the 1960s and early 1970s, and then later featured in the first nine seasons of Target Field as an alternate uniform. The last time the Twins wore these uniforms was in the iconic final game of Joe Mauer’s Hall of Fame career. It was reasonable to assume this was the route the Twins would go for this event after the two teams for the game were announced last November, with the logos for each team teasing the era from which they will be drawing their uniform inspiration. The Twins’ uniform is white, with blue pinstripes going down both the jersey and pants, a departure from the previously cream-colored alternates. Running across the chest is the original cursive script ‘Twins’ logo, which is navy blue and outlined in red. On the back of the uniform, you find the same color scheme for the number—and no name plate, as the Twins did not introduce those until they went to the baby blue uniforms in the mid-1970s. The only modern part of the uniform here is (sigh) the Nike swoosh on the upper left chest, which is standard for every MLB uniform as part of the existing deal between the league and Nike. The Yankees and White Sox also had this on their uniforms back in 2021, for the inaugural Field of Dreams Game. On the sleeve is the Minnie and Paul logo, which has had very few touchups over the 67 years the franchise has existed in the Twin Cities. The cap itself for the Field of Dreams game will be navy blue and feature the interlocking ‘TC’ logo, which also remained untouched throughout the franchise’s history until it underwent a modern tuning for the team’s uniform rebrand starting in the 2023 season. Socks will be navy, too, and you will probably see several players adopt the high socks to complement the throwbacks, as that was the style of the era. You might even be lucky enough to get a player in some stirrups. The Twins had some options to choose from their history for this game, but going with the original home uniform was the best choice, or at least the best for those of us who love the aesthetics of these uniforms. Is this heaven? No, it’s the Twins’ original home throwbacks! Share your thoughts on the Field of Dreams uniforms in the comments below! View the full article

When the Twins walked to the podium with the third overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, there wasn't much suspense left. For weeks leading up to the draft, the biggest question centered around what the White Sox and Rays would do with the first two selections. Would one of them throw a curveball and shake up the board? Instead, the draft unfolded almost exactly how most evaluators expected. Roch Cholowsky went first overall, Grady Emerson followed at No. 2, and Minnesota happily selected Vahn Lackey with the third pick. It was a dream scenario for the Twins. Lackey entered the draft as one of the most complete prospects available, combining impact offensive upside with elite defensive ability behind the plate. Catchers with legitimate plus-plus tools on both sides of the ball are exceptionally rare, which is why many evaluators viewed him as one of the best overall talents in the class regardless of position. Once he officially signs, Lackey will immediately become one of the premier prospects in one of baseball's deepest farm systems. The question isn't whether he'll rank near the top, but exactly where he belongs in that cluster. TD Current No. 1: OF Walker Jenkins Jenkins has occupied the top spot in the Twins Daily rankings for good reason. The former fifth overall pick has done everything the organization could have hoped for since entering professional baseball and remains one of the game's elite outfield prospects. He reached Triple-A during his age-20 season and has continued to perform despite injuries in each professional season. There is also a bit of a "prove-it" test that every newly drafted player has to pass. No matter how impressive an amateur résumé may be, every prospect has to show they can translate those tools into professional baseball. The Twins have generally taken a measured approach with recent first-round picks, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Lackey begin his career in Low-A before finishing the season with Cedar Rapids if he performs well. Why Lackey Could Eventually Be No. 1 Lackey has a legitimate argument to become Minnesota's top prospect in short order. He's about 2 1/2 years younger than Kaelen Culpepper and only slightly older than Jenkins, despite coming from the college ranks. More importantly, he's a potential plus-plus offensive and defensive catcher. Those players don't show up very often. Even fewer develop into franchise cornerstones like Joe Mauer or Buster Posey. For now, Jenkins's proximity to the major leagues gives him a slight edge. He's already answered many of the developmental questions every prospect faces. But if Lackey gets off to the explosive professional start many scouts expect, it wouldn't be surprising if he's sitting atop Minnesota's prospect rankings entering next season. TD Current No. 2: SS Kaelen Culpepper Culpepper found himself in a similar position just two years ago after the Twins selected him in the first round out of Kansas State. Since then, he's done nothing but strengthen his prospect profile. The shortstop broke out in 2025 with a 138 wRC+ between High-A Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita before carrying that momentum into Triple-A this season. Despite dealing with a nagging glute strain in recent weeks, Culpepper has still posted a 122 wRC+ and looks poised to make his major league debut once he's healthy. Why Lackey Should Rank No. 2 This feels like the sweet spot for Lackey. Culpepper has earned his standing after proving he can dominate upper-level pitching. He's become a consensus Top 100 prospect and appears ready to contribute in Minnesota in the near future. That said, Lackey entered professional baseball with an even stronger reputation than Culpepper did coming out of college. He's viewed as a more polished player offensively and defensively, and many national prospect outlets will likely rank him slightly ahead of Culpepper once post-draft rankings are updated. That's not an indictment of Culpepper. It simply speaks to how highly the industry views Lackey's overall package. TD Current No. 3: OF Emmanuel Rodriguez Few prospects in baseball have generated as much excitement (and frustration) as Emmanuel Rodriguez. The talented outfielder has been a consensus Top 100 prospect since 2023 and reached Triple-A as a 21-year-old. His production has been outstanding whenever he's been healthy. Rodriguez posted a remarkable 180 wRC+ in 2024 despite appearing in only 47 games, then followed that with a 135 wRC+ over 65 games last season. Unfortunately, staying on the field has become the biggest obstacle in his development. Rodriguez is currently on the injured list after undergoing surgery to repair a torn UCL in his thumb, and since making his professional debut in 2021, he has yet to appear in more than 99 games during a single season. Why Lackey Should Be No. 3 This is where the debate becomes especially interesting. There's a strong argument for leaving Culpepper ahead of Lackey because he's already demonstrated success against Double-A and Triple-A competition. The jump from college baseball to professional baseball isn't always seamless, even for elite prospects. Still, Lackey is coming off one of the best collegiate seasons in recent memory and possesses one of the highest ceilings in the organization. Some evaluators may prefer to keep him behind Culpepper until he proves himself in pro ball, which would slide Rodriguez to fourth in the system. Given Rodriguez's lengthy injury history, it wouldn't be surprising if Lackey quickly leapfrogs him in most organizational rankings once he signs. Where Should He Land? Ranking prospects is always a balancing act between ceiling, proximity, performance and risk. Jenkins has earned the benefit of the doubt after succeeding at every stop while inching closer to Target Field. Culpepper has elevated himself into one of baseball's better infield prospects through outstanding production in the upper minors. Rodriguez still possesses star-level talent, but injuries continue to cloud his outlook. Lackey enters the conversation with perhaps the highest long-term upside of the group. Premium catchers with impact offensive potential are among the rarest commodities in baseball, and the Twins believe they've landed exactly that with the third overall pick. For now, No. 2 feels like the right place to slot him, narrowly behind Jenkins. But don't be surprised if that changes quickly. If Lackey's first taste of professional baseball goes as smoothly as many expect, there's a very real chance he'll open next season as Minnesota's No. 1 prospect. Where should Lackey rank among the Twins' top prospects? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

It's going to be ok. Probably. Jacob Misiorowski has just enough fatigue that it made sense to skip his final start before the All-Star break and to hold him out of the game Tuesday night. Kyle Harrison has just enough irritation in his elbow to make it worth shutting him down here in the middle of July, when the schedule provides the weary Brewers four days off, anyway. The team and the players themselves each insist that there's nothing to worry about, and we all foresaw that there would need to be some point at which the club eased off the gas in terms of workload for one or both of its newfound aces. Let's be optimists, rather than doomers. Even embracing that mindset can't save you from some worry about Brandon Woodruff, though. It sure feels like the erstwhile workhorse of this team has run out of gas. He's on the IL with a second bout of dead arm, and watching his velocity evaporate within a start makes it essentially impossible to envision handing him the ball with the season on the line sometime in mid-October. Woodruff will try to work his way back into the mix, and every Brewers fan should root for him to have as much success with that as possible, but no longer can he be part of the team's firm plans for the stretch run or the playoffs. Logan Henderson just returned from the injured list, but doesn't have a track record that permits much faith in his staying power. Chad Patrick and Aaron Ashby are showing their wear after over a year of being worked hard. DL Hall is on the shelf. Quinn Priester is out for the year. Shane Drohan, Robert Gasser and Brandon Sproat have all shown promise, but also inconsistency, and none has ever managed the physical and mental grind of a full big-league season before. Coleman Crow is becoming increasingly important to this team's medium-term plans, and he's something like a poor man's version of Henderson or Drohan. It's a sign of privilege to have this many names to rattle off when rounding up a rotation mix in mid-July. The Brewers have built one of the best developmental systems and most robust talent pipelines in baseball, including the dozen guys already mentioned in this article. Most teams would be more severely hampered by even fewer injuries and/or constraints. Unfortunately, the baseball gods don't give hustle points, and they don't patiently repeat themselves. When they say 'you can never have too much pitching,' they mean it, and it's a threat, not a funny little aphorism. Despite all that depth and all that quality, the Crew are getting thin. Somehow, though they did every possible thing to avoid this, they're going to need to trade for pitching help before next month's trade deadline. Specifically, despite all those guys who can give them length out of the pen or are capable of being a mid-rotation starter, the Brewers need a starter. Remember Jose Quintana? Last year, Quintana was underwhelming for the Brewers, but he was cromulent. He ate 132 innings for Milwaukee, including often being a vital bridge starter when the team was scrambling. In other recent seasons, that role has been filled by Aaron Civale, Bryse Wilson, and Julio Teheran, to name a few. Often, the team is able to scoop reliable sixth starters off the scrap heap relatively early and cost-free. They've signed pitchers (like Quintana) to low-dollar one-year deals. They've swapped for guys (like Civale and Priester) during seasons, but at points at which they were highly available. By being so proactive, they've usually been able to avoid an acute need for pitching help in July. This year, though, they tried to leave open runways for the pitchers they acquired over the winter (including Drohan, Harrison and Sproat) and for some arms returning from injuries (Gasser and Henderson). That made sense, but now, it leaves them with an unexpected need for that low-ceiling innings eater they've so often had in the past. Quintana is out there. His numbers look atrocious, but that's because he's pitching his home games at Coors Field. Presumably, though, the Brewers would like to aim a little higher. They have lots of options. The Giants will be open to moving Robbie Ray, who's in the last year of his long-term deal and has stopped missing bats the way he used to. The Nationals' Foster Griffin, the Reds' Brady Singer, the Diamondbacks' Eduardo Rodríguez and the Orioles' Trevor Rogers are all in some version of the same situation. None of those guys would start a playoff game for Milwaukee, but that's not what the Brewers need. They just need someone who can absorb a share of the workload over the final two months, so that the rest of the team is fresher and the club is as well-positioned as possible when they get to October. It'll be a needle to thread for the Brewers front office. They don't want to end up in a roster crunch that costs them anyone important. They need to add help, but still have space for their best arms when those guys are back to full strength. They can operate on a six-man rotation for much of the rest of the season, but need to communicate well enough with each of their guys to ensure that those asked to spend time in Nashville or in the bullpen are open to the changes. The team is in too good a position to sacrifice the depth of their league-best farm system just to gild the lily. If they don't act at all, though, they might regret it. After all, clearly, the baseball gods intend to enforce 'you can never have too much pitching' in an especially draconian way for them this summer. View the full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. St. Paul Saints (Minnesota Twins): Cubs win, 4-2 Season Record: 39–51-1 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Biloxi Shuckers (Milwaukee Brewers): Tied, 3-3 Season Record: 49–38 High-A South Bend Cubs Series at Cedar Rapids Kernels (Minnesota Twins): Cubs win, 4-2 Season Record: 49–34 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series vs. Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals): Tied, 3-3 Season Record: 36–49 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 39–51-1 Series Opponent: St. Paul Saints (50-41) Series Standing: Win, 4-2 July 12: The Iowa Cubs dropped Sunday’s series finale, 5-4, to the St. Paul Saints at Principal Park. James Triantos’ (2-for-4) solo blast in the second, his seventh of the season, opened the scoring in the ballgame but the Saints responded with two runs in the third and one more in the fourth to go up 3-1.Moisés Ballesteros (2-for-3) cut the deficit to one with a solo shot in the fifth, his first of the campaign. St. Paul would make it a 5-2 game after scoring once in both the seventh and eighth, but Iowa was able to rally with two runs in the ninth, thanks to a two-run single from Owen Miller (2-for-5). However, Miller, representing the tying run, would be left at second to end the contest. Jordan Wicks got the start on the mound for the I-Cubs and was handed the loss, falling to 0-7 on the year. Wicks allowed two runs on four hits over three innings of work, striking out five batters without issuing a walk. The Iowa offense would go 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position on the day, stranding 10 runners. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 49–38 Series Opponent: Biloxi Shuckers (46–37) Series Standing: Tied, 3-3 July 12: The Knoxville Smokies split their series with the Biloxi Shuckers following a 3-1 defeat on Sunday at Covenant Health Park. The Shuckers took a 2-0 lead after scoring a pair of runs in the third and would make it a three-run game by adding one in the eighth. The Smokies would finally get on the board in the home half of that inning, with Alex Ramírez (1-for-4) singling home Knoxville’s only run of the ballgame. Brody McCullough got the start on the mound for the Smokies and was handed the loss, falling to 0-1 on the season. McCullough allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits over four innings of work to go along with two walks and four strikeouts. Knoxville would get scoreless relief appearances from Luke Little (1.0 IP), Koen Moreno (2.0 IP) and Ryan Jensen (1.0 IP), with the trio combining to allow no hits while whiffing two. The Smokies offense was held to just three hits on the day, with none going for extra bases. They were also limited to just three chances with runners in scoring position, going 1-for-3 in those situations, leaving four runners on base. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 49–34 Series Opponent: Cedar Rapids Kernels (35–49) Series Standing: Win, 4-2 July 12: The South Bend Cubs earned a series victory following a 5-2 triumph over the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Sunday at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Jose Escobar (1-for-3) gave the Cubs an early 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI-groundout and Miguel Useche (0-for-3) doubled that lead when racing home on a wild pitch in the second. The Kernels would make it a one-run game with a tally of their own in the home half of the second. South Bend plated two runs in the sixth to make it 4-1, getting an RBI-single from Angel Cepeda (1-for-3) and an RBI-groundout from Useche. Kane Kepley (1-for-3) tripled home a run in the seventh before Cedar Rapids made it 5-2 with a run later in the inning. Cole Reynolds, who entered in relief in the seventh, would keep the Kernels off the board in the final two innings to earn his first save of the season and seal the series victory for the Cubs. Reynolds allowed one run on one hit over three total innings of work, walking one and striking out one. Jostin Florentino got the start on the mound for South Bend and took no decision. Florentino allowed one run on two hits over four innings of work, issuing just one walk to go along with six punchouts. Eli Jerzembeck earned the win in relief to improve to 2-2 on the season after tossing two scoreless frames, giving up one hit and whiffing one batter. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 36–49 Series Opponent: Fredericksburg Nationals (57–30) Series Standing: Tied, 3-3 July 12: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped Sunday’s series finale vs. the Fredericksburg Nationals, 8-6, to split the six-game set. The Nationals took a commanding 8-0 after scoring once in the first, three times in the second, twice in the fourth and twice more in the sixth. The Pelicans scored all six of their runs in the ninth inning as they attempted a furious rally. Eli Lovich (1-for-5) got Myrtle Beach on the board by scoring on a wild pitch and Edward Vargas (2-for-4) followed with a two-run double. Ivan Cespedes (2-for-2) then became the third Pelican of the ballgame to score on a wild pitch and Ethan Conrad (1-for-4) launched a two-run shot, the first home run of his professional career, to make it 8-6. Derniche Valdez (2-for-5) singled to bring Lovich up to the plate, representing the tying run, but the lefty lined out to end the game. Daniel Avitia got the start for Myrtle Beach and was handed the loss, falling to 2-2 on the season. Avitia allowed four runs on five hits over three innings of work, walking two batters and whiffing one. View the full article

Now that the 2026 MLB Draft is complete, it is time to make sense of what the San Diego Padres did. Every draft's focus is, appropriately, on the first-round draft pick. For the Friars, that was high school right-handed starter Coleman Borthwick, taken with the 21st overall pick. At 6-foot-6 and listed at 245 pounds (or 260), the 18-year-old out of South Walton High School in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., is a prototype power pitcher who could lead a rotation. Borthwick was the fourth pitcher and second from the high school ranks to be selected. That also fits how the Padres approach the draft: They take prep players in the first round, then shift to collegians after that. It is a two-part strategy. The Padres feel they find value that other teams steer away from in the first round. High school pitchers are inherently risky. For instance, last year, Seth Hernandez, a right-hander out of Corona High School right here in SoCal, was the early leader to go No. 1 overall. But high school right-handers don't go No. 1. Instead, he went sixth overall to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, he has as much helium as anyone from that draft and was one of the stars of Sunday's Futures Game. That's not to say that Borthwick will follow that pattern, but the pick was roundly lauded by draft experts. Borthwick has good athleticism, having also played third base and possessing a power bat. But he won't touch a bat as he enters pro ball. Instead, he will bring a four-seamer that generally sits in the 93-95 mph range, can easily get up to 98 and has touched 100 mph this spring. He also has a terrific, snappy slider and a changeup that will need refining. His bonus is slotted at $4,224,700 and his signing is not in question. In fact, none of the selections in the first 10 rounds have signability issues. Padres' Hidden Gems In The Draft Every team looks for value or hidden talent wherever it can be found and that certainly holds true for the Padres. Of the 21 players the Padres picked, there look to be three (well, four, but we will get to that one in a minute) where they found value on a sliding player—at least by other outlets' rankings. The first is seventh-round draft choice Joe Tiroly, a junior infielder out of Virginia. One reason could be a broken foot he sustained in fall camp as he transferred to Virginia that hindered him until the season began, yet he played in every game this season. He wound up with a .319/.408/.576 slash line and stepped in the postseason, leading the Cavaliers with 16 homers and 66 RBIs. He was the fourth of five Virginia players drafted, so he was surrounded by talent like he wasn't when he attended Rider, a much smaller Division I program. Tiroly, listed as a second baseman, is likely to also get a look at third base as he does have the arm for the position. Tiroly was ranked as the 99th prospect by Baseball America and 147th by MLB Pipeline and taken by the Friars with the 215th pick. Next is North Carolina State first baseman Chris McHugh, who was taken in the 11th round. The Padres typically don't profile their first basemen as power hitters and McHugh certainly is not a prototypical player at the position. His slash line as a junior (.320/.409/.525) was down from his sophomore season (.365/.462/.533), but he still produced nine homers. One of seven players from N.C. State to be drafted, the right-handed hitter also saw time in left field and previously played third, certainly something the Padres will explore. In addition to driving in 50 runs, McHugh had a 16-game hitting streak and led the team with 23 multi-hit games. Due to his skills at the plate, the power can be developed. Baseball America ranked him 139th and was taken by the Padres at No. 335. Another value pick was Northwestern junior shortstop Ryan Kucherak, who was selected in the 15th round. Kucherak was a teammate of No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz., then went to LSU. He played sparingly at LSU, then transferred to Northwestern. He has power, having set the Northwestern record with 18 homers as a sophomore, then following that with 10 this past spring. He had a two-year slash line of .290/.388/.571 for the Wildcats. As a player with power is apt to do, he has swing-and-miss in his plate approach and did have issues with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League last summer. Kucherak will stick in the middle infield and also brings speed to his game. He was the No. 131 draft prospect by Baseball America and the Padres grabbed him with the 455th pick. Player Who Can Make The Padres' Draft As mentioned above, there don't appear to be any questions about signing picks in the top 10 rounds, which come with assigned slot values. Rounds 11-20 can be signed for $150,000 without affecting the draft pool. Any amounts over $150,000 count against the pool, which is $9,479,000 for the Padres. College players aren't typically tough signs, so that leaves the four high school players taken. Borthwick and second-rounder Elliot Lascelles, a second baseman from Toronto, will be easy signs as well. But that brings us to Denton Lord. While the name sets itself up for some terrific monikers, it is the talent that made the right-handed starter a top-100 draft prospect. Baseball America ranked Lord 54th and MLB Pipeline 80th. He has a commitment to Mississippi State, which already was going to make him a tough sign. Then, Lord announced Sunday on Instagram, after not being picked in the top five rounds, that he would honor his commitment to Mississippi State. The Padres rolled the dice and picked Lord in the 17th round (515th pick). Here is where it gets even more interesting. Lord attended the same high school as Borthwick, the Padres' top pick. That relationship could be a huge lure for the Padres to get the 6-8, 220-pounder into their system. They can save money from the first 10 rounds and bundle that to hand to Lord. While NIL can get players to campus, the Padres can certainly negotiate to get Lord a signing bonus of $1 million to $2 million, more suitable of a second- or third-round pick. Pulling this off would certainly be a boon to the Padres' system. Lord's four-seamer is 94 mph, one of the best of the high school class, and he can ramp up a few ticks when necessary. He also has good spin on his curveball that he sometimes uses too much as well as a slider. Lord also has a little-used changeup that can be developed. While possessing good tools at the moment, he also has plenty of projectability that an MLB team can work on to boost those assets. Lord did have Tommy John surgery as a high school freshman, but is clearly good to go. Catchers The Padres already have terrific catching depth in their system with Ethan Salas (Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect), Ty Harvey (No. 7), Lamar King Jr. (No. 11) and Truitt Madonna (No. 13) for starters, plus other hidden gems such as Yoiber Ocopio. But like pitching, you can never have too much quality catching. The Friars spent three of their 21 draft choices on college catchers, whereas Havey, King and Madonna were high school products. Those would be George Washington junior Robbie Lavey, USC sophomore Augie Lopez, and Notre Dame junior Mark Quatrani. Lavey and Lopez are left-handed hitters, which helps their cause. Lavey has been described as doing a lot of things well, but not one aspect stands out. Lopez broke through with a big power surge, hitting 19 homers this spring and needs to improve defensively. Quatrani jumped from the Ivy League at Cornell to the Atlantic Coast Conference and Notre Dame to improve his draft stock and all he did was slash .376/.457/.643 with 15 homers. The Padres could see a position change among this group down the road. View the full article

For the third straight season, Craig Breslow and his scouting department oversaw a draft where they stuck to their guns and drafted players that fit the stereotypical mold they prefer. However, unlike the previous two drafts, this was the first time scouting director Jake Bruml led the charge, having been named the new director of amateur scouting last year. Bruml's perspective could be felt, but this was still a typical draft class for this organization. The Red Sox selected more pitchers than position players much like the previous two drafts. This time it was a bit more even, as only 11 of the 19 selections were pitchers. They did veer off course slightly, selecting six prep players with the highlights being third-round pick Jace Mataczynski, ninth-round pick Martin Shelar, and 10th-round pick Kaleb LaFavor. The latter two are likely to receive over-slot deals in an effort to keep them from heading to the college ranks. From the pitching angle, it was no surprise the direction that the organization went in, mainly drafting tall, strong pitchers with elite extension. The first college arm the organization drafted, Lucas Davenport, came in the fifth round. As of his latest college season, he measured 6-foot-6 and was known for elite extension and a fastball that topped out at 98 mph. Of the 11 pitchers drafted, only two of them were listed to be shorter than 6-foot-2, that being seventh-round selection Kide Adetuyi and 19th-round selection Luis Calderon (though the latter may have some room to grow, being just 19 years old). Pitching-wise, the plan has always been simple, and Breslow has a track record of turning this style of pitcher into true prospects as he showed with 2024 selection Payton Tolle. Offensively, the Red Sox went in a direction that a few teams across baseball have already moved towards. While most teams continue to focus on power at the major-league level, forward-thinking franchises like Milwaukee and Tampa Bay have shifted to a focus of getting on base by having their lineups contain players with great bat-to-ball skills and the ability to walk. The Red Sox chose to follow that idea when it came to the draft, selecting multiple college bats that either ranged from above-average to elite when it came to bat-to-ball skills, including their first two selections in Jake Schaffner and Owen Hull. Schaffner, who many felt was a reach at 20, will most likely sign an under-slot deal with the team that will allow them to sign high upside but risky selections such as Shelar and LaFavor. Schaffner made elite contact during his lone season at UNC and hit .356/.467/.552 with 19 doubles, eight triples and six home runs while walking 45 times to just 32 strikeouts. It’s a change in philosophy compared to the hitters that were selected in 2025, when guys like Jack Winnay and Mason White were chosen more for their potential power. One player who could be an interesting prospect to follow is 12th round selection and prep player Jacob Webster out of Oak Hills High School in California. Listed at 6-foot-4 and weighing 190 pounds, Webster was drafted as a shortstop but has two-way player potential. As a pitcher in high school, he had a fastball that got up to 90 mph. While it takes more than a good fastball to be a professional pitcher, it would be a shame to not look at his pitching potential as well. As a position player, he’s likely to stick at shortstop but could also make a move to the outfield if needed. Offensively, he’s a switch-hitter who has shown power from the right side of the plate. Yet the biggest steal of the draft may have been getting Shelar at 274 overall. Coming into the draft, DiamondCentric’s Jamie Cameron had the prep outfielder as the No. 77 overall prospect in the class, which should have made him a day one pick Concerns over his ability to sign due to a commitment to Mississippi State allowed him to fall to the Red Sox nearly 200 selections later. Thanks to the early selections of Schaffner and Hull, the team will have extra money to offer a player like Shelar in hopes that he signs with the organization. He would be worth taking the chance on, as he has some of the best bat speed and raw power in the entire 2026 prep class and has constantly been able to barrel the baseball despite an unconventional swing. He isn’t just good on offense either, as he has good speed and an above-average arm that could render him an All-Star if everything breaks right in his development. With the draft now over, it was clear that the Red Sox entered it with a clear plan in mind to bring in talented, high-floor players. The organization will do the work to increase their respective ceilings, with the specific development from the pitching lab and bat speed programs. While day one left some questioning the team’s approach, the totality of this class should have the entire fanbase buying into the scouting department's know-how. View the full article

Marlins right-hander Max Meyer speaks with Fish On First about the keys to his All-Star-caliber production this season and who he's most excited to talk to during this week's festivities.View the full article

Every time Byron Buxton steps onto one of baseball's biggest stages, the questions inevitably follow. The Twins' franchise cornerstone drew national attention again this week after earning a starting spot in the All-Star Game, prompting another round of speculation about whether a player of his caliber could eventually end up elsewhere. Those conversations aren't new, and they likely won't disappear anytime soon. A healthy, productive Buxton is the type of impact player every contender covets. But while the outside noise continues, Buxton has remained remarkably consistent about where he wants his future to unfold. For him, Minnesota isn't simply the place where he plays baseball. It's home. “I have that peace of mind,” Buxton told the Minnesota Star Tribune. “My family, Minnesota is home for us. That’s where we want to be. That’s where they want to be. And that’s something that is not going to change. We done built our family up, two more kids now from Minnesota since I’ve been here. This is all they know, too.” Buxton's connection to the organization extends well beyond his contract. Drafted second overall by the Twins in 2012, he's spent his entire professional career wearing a Minnesota uniform. Through injuries, playoff appearances, individual accolades, and organizational transitions, he's remained the face of the franchise. That longevity is something Buxton has come to value even more as his career has progressed. Early in his career, he watched Joe Mauer spend an entire Hall of Fame-caliber career with one organization. More recently, during this spring's World Baseball Classic, Buxton found himself asking another lifelong franchise icon about what that experience has meant. The conversation came with future Hall of Fame pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who has spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. “I was like, ‘Dang, bro, the only thing you know is blue and white, ain’t it?’” Buxton said. “He was like, ‘Love it.’ Just to see his reaction, though, I was like, ‘That’s going to be me.’ “We’re blessed already to be able to play baseball, but to be able to do it with one team, and make your legacy there, that’s what makes it special. It’s somewhere you can always call home no matter what.” In today's game, careers with a single franchise have become increasingly rare. Free agency, trades, and shifting competitive windows make it difficult for players to stay in one place from debut to retirement. Buxton understands that reality, which is why the opportunity to build a lasting legacy in Minnesota means so much to him. It's also one of the reasons events like the All-Star Game carry added significance. Buxton isn't just representing himself on baseball's national stage. He's representing the organization and fan base that have supported him throughout his career. “That’s why you want to do those things,” Buxton said. “Putting on that Twins jersey, going out there in front of all those people and representing Minnesota, that’s special.” The speculation will likely continue whenever Buxton is healthy enough to remind the baseball world just how dynamic he can be. Elite center field defense, game-changing speed, and middle-of-the-order power make him one of the sport's most unique players. But while others continue imagining him in another uniform, Buxton has never sounded interested in the possibility. His focus remains on adding to his legacy with the only organization he's ever known, in the state his family now calls home. For a player who has experienced nearly every high and low imaginable in a Twins uniform, that commitment has never appeared stronger. View the full article

The Twins have spent much of the season trying to patch together their bullpen without one of their most dependable relievers. Right-hander Cole Sands has been sidelined since early May with a right forearm strain, but after navigating a frustrating rehab process that included an unexpected setback, he appears to be trending in the right direction. Minnesota placed Sands on the 15-day injured list on May 2 after forearm discomfort forced him out of action. The organization originally hoped he would return relatively quickly, and he was cleared to begin a rehab assignment in early June. Those plans were delayed when inflammation resurfaced, forcing the Twins to shut him down and allow the injury to calm before restarting the process. After completing another throwing progression, Sands resumed his rehab assignment and immediately showed encouraging signs. During one of his recent appearances, his fastball averaged 93.7 mph, a noticeable improvement from where it had been earlier this season and an indication that his arm strength is continuing to return. His latest outing may have been his most encouraging yet. Pitching for Triple-A St. Paul on Saturday, Sands tossed a scoreless inning while once again seeing all of his pitch velocities climb above his season averages. It marked the second consecutive rehab appearance in which his velocity ticked upward, another positive indicator that he is getting closer to full strength. Even with the improved results, the Twins aren't quite ready to activate him. Saturday's outing came four days after his previous appearance, and Minnesota wants to see how Sands responds to a more typical major league workload before bringing him back. That likely means pitching on shorter rest, with back-to-back appearances a possibility, before the club is convinced he can handle the demands of a late-inning role. Before the injury, Sands wasn't producing at the level Twins fans had become accustomed to seeing. Over 11 2/3 innings this season, he owns a 4.63 ERA with a 22% strikeout rate and an eight percent walk rate. Opposing hitters have also produced a hefty 51.4% hard-hit rate against him. One of the biggest differences has been his fastball. Sands averaged 95 mph during the 2025 season, but that figure dropped to 93.1 mph before landing on the injured list. Even so, there were signs that better results could have been on the horizon. His 3.65 SIERA sits nearly a full run lower than his actual ERA, suggesting his underlying performance was stronger than the surface numbers indicate. It's also fair to wonder whether his forearm issue contributed to his rough final outing on April 28 against Seattle, when he surrendered two runs while recording just two outs. Despite his uneven start to 2026, Sands has earned the benefit of the doubt. Since the beginning of the 2024 season, he has developed into one of Minnesota's most dependable relievers, regularly taking on high-leverage innings while providing valuable multi-inning flexibility. The Twins have managed to survive his absence by leaning on relievers such as Yoendrys Gomez, Andrew Morris, and Anthony Banda before Banda's season-ending injury further thinned the bullpen. While several pitchers have stepped into larger roles, adding an experienced arm like Sands would give manager Derek Shelton another trusted option for the stretch run. If Sands continues checking the remaining boxes during his rehab assignment, his return may not be far away. A healthy version of the right-hander could help stabilize a relief corps that has spent much of the season searching for consistency. With velocity returning and his workload gradually increasing, the Twins finally have reason to believe one of their most reliable relievers is nearing his return. View the full article

Last weekend's sweep notwithstanding, the Miami Marlins are feeling good about themselves here in mid-July. By some measures, this is the best Marlins team we've seen since 2023; by most measures, it's the best in more than a decade. How have they racked up so many wins already, and what needs to happen for them to stay on track for a postseason berth? During the final week of pre-All-Star break action, Fish On First staffers were invited to answer five of my burning questions about the state of the franchise. Thanks to Louis Addeo-Weiss, Kevin Barral, Sean McCormack, Sean Millerick, Daniel Rodriguez and Hector Rodriguez for their participation in the following roundtable. 1. How do the 2026 Marlins compare to what you expected entering the season? Ely Sussman: My foremost concern entering the season was that Marlins first basemen would be a huge liability. It was trending in that direction early on, but booting Christopher Morel and Connor Norby from the position in favor of Kyle Stowers and Liam Hicks has made a world of difference. I never could've expected Otto Lopez to emerge as one of the sport's very best players or Max Meyer to find such consistency as a starter. On the negative side, it's hard to believe the Marlins have endured with Jakob Marsee collapsing to replacement-level production and Pete Fairbanks being even worse than that. Overall, they're slightly better than an average team when I envisioned slightly below average. Kevin Barral: The expectation was that they would be around where they were in 2025, with some potential regression. Clearly they surpassed everyone's expectations thanks to their month of June and nice start in July, sitting seven games over .500 at the break. Louis Addeo-Weiss: I had my reservations, but given how well they’re playing despite certain key pieces like Marsee and Fairbanks being overall liabilities, should those two get it going, they could genuinely win the NL East. Hector Rodriguez: They have been much better as they have one of the best records in MLB. Sean McCormack: The lineup has far surpassed expectations, although the metrics on the pitching staff have been strong. I believe the offseason trade of Ryan Weathers and poor signing of Chris Paddack will hurt as the season goes on due to lack of MLB starting depth. Daniel Rodriguez: My expectations for the Marlins coming into the 2026 season were fairly high based on their final record last season. I think they’ve done far better than what I actually expected them to do, especially in the offensive category, at the catching position and the breakout of Max Meyer. Sean Millerick: Well, they are definitely winning more than I expected. I didn't think enough had been done in the offseason to improve, or even to survive regression from 2025. On the regression front, Jakob Marsee has had a far more challenging 2026 than I imagined, while the plan for first base coming into the year went just as horribly as we all thought it would. And yet...the Marlins are playing their best baseball of the last ten years. A positive run differential? Never saw that coming. Liam Hicks doing his best impression of being a franchise cornerstone? Knock me over with Esteury Ruiz. The only negative for me here is Pete Fairbanks. I really believed—and not just on account of having the same music tastes. Certainly I thought him pitching at an All-Star level would be the key to a Marlins breakout, along with similarly strong efforts from Robby Snelling and/or Thomas White. None of that happened, and the Fish still might be better than I ever thought they could be in 2026. Go figure. 2. By any measure, Otto Lopez has been the team's most valuable player. Who would you say is second on that list? Ely: Max Meyer. He and Sandy Alcantara have been crucial to the club all season long given the constant anxiety about starting rotation depth. Alcantara tops him—and every other MLB pitcher—in innings, but the difference in run prevention tips the scale in Meyer's favor. He's been equally good against right-handed and left-handed batters, unbothered by traffic on the bases and trustworthy when given a long leash to work through the sixth and seventh. Although I think Meyer will regress a bit after the break, I can't take anything away from what he has accomplished thus far. Kevin: Max Meyer has clearly been the Marlins' most valuable pitcher. He may not be an ace by any means, but his consistency and ability to keep the Marlins in games is a reason as to why the Marlins are where they are. One other name I'd like to mention is Joe Mack. The value he has provided this team behind the plate has been game-changing. If he keeps this up, Mack will appear on National League Rookie of the Year ballots. Louis: Max Meyer, especially considering no one forecasted this level of improvement. Hector: Probably Max Meyer. He’s the other All-Star and has had a major breakout season. Sean McCormack: Xavier Edwards has shored up the middle infield beside Otto, creating an elite shortstop-second base combo. He would be my second-most valuable player. Daniel: I would say it’s the player who also made the All-Star team in Max Meyer. He has easily been the best pitcher on the team. I would also include Joe Mack in the conversation as the team has completely turned around since his arrival. Sean Millerick: Otto is definitely the answer for the top spot, but it speaks to the surprising quality of this 2026 club how much competition there is for that second spot. The Marlins MVP runner-up has to be Joe Mack. So much has been written on this across multiple platforms over the past couple weeks, but it has been absolutely remarkable how transformational Mack's arrival has been for this team. Indeed, when it comes to a new Marlins player making an immediate impact like this, he's on a very short list already, and could be at the top by season's end. He's in D-Train territory. 3. Agustín Ramírez, Graham Pauley and Connor Norby have all been demoted to the minors. Which of them do you think is most likely to turn their season around? Ely: It's head-scratching that both Ramírez and Norby are down in Triple-A right now while inferior righty bats Rece Hinds and Brian Navarreto occupy active roster spots. That will change relatively soon, especially if Norby continues to get reps as an outfielder. Norby's process at the plate looked good back in April and we know there's more power potential than he's shown in games so far this year. Being a versatile defender is almost as important as being a good defender because it creates a path to semi-regular playing time, so I'll go with Norby. Kevin: Tough question, but I think it's Pauley. He has already proven that he can turn a season around, like we saw in 2025. I think his second demotion to Triple-A was a bit unfair given the nice series he had in St. Louis and he should've been given a longer leash with how rough Miami's third base situation has been. Ramírez would be second, but what kept him from being the most likely candidate is that he is still a full-time catcher. He needs to be moved off the position. Louis: Each have their own strengths, yet they’re largely overshadowed by their warts. Pauley’s defensive aptitude and potential for more from his bat make him feel the appropriate choice here. Hector: If the Marlins finally decide to move Agustín Ramírez away from catcher, I think he can be a very productive power bat for Miami’s lineup. Sean McCormack: I would wager Agustín Ramírez due to the potential he has at the plate. Daniel: Connor Norby. Sean Millerick: Pauley would be my answer for now. He's capable of providing the best defense at the team's weakest position, and showed last season that he can put together enough of a run to contribute on offense as well. However, if the team goes out and gets a third baseman, he'd suddenly become the least likely of the three to even return to Miami's roster at all in 2026. Norby has enough position flexibility that he just needs an opening somewhere, and Owen Caissie might have just provided it if he ends up missing all of July. Ramirez is firmly in third, at least until he stops playing catcher. 4. How would you evaluate Clayton McCullough as a manager through 1.5 seasons on the job? Ely: I can understand why the Marlins hired McCullough in the first place. He is very disciplined and completely aligned with the front office, even when their strategies are unorthodox and unsatisfying to watch. Also, there is unquestionably some intangible value to keeping peace in the clubhouse, and the Marlins have been drama-free during his tenure, as far as we can tell. McCullough has been responsible for some atrocious in-game substitutions and he's never contrite about them. I'd like to see growth in that area—simply being able to admit he made the wrong call under high stress and will learn from it, rather than insisting he has full conviction every time. Kevin: So far, it's been a mixed bag. Clearly, the organization has made it a point to lean into platoon splits when putting together lineups, sitting some of their hottest hitters as a result. Those moves have worked out for the most part, as the Marlins lineup against left-handed pitching has improved and the pinch-hitting has been good. What this entire coaching staff lacks at times is feel for the game, with Eury Pérez's perfect-game bid on July 5 being the most notable example. The players seem to be fans of McCullough and the rest of the coaching staff and overall have been good. With the Marlins' improvement from one year to the next, McCullough could be in the mix for the National League Manager of the Year award. Louis: I’ve generally resigned myself from giving managers too much credit, instead reserving praise for the front office and all of the behind the scenes folk. That said, the team is clearly more competent under this current regime. Hector: I’d give him a B. The team is playing very well, but he still makes some questionable decisions when it comes to pitching. Sean McCormack: B overall. Clayton appears to have a firm grip of the clubhouse, the roster plays hard for him, but questionable lineup construction more so than bullpen decisions leave me wanting more. Daniel: There have been a lot of ups and a lot of downs in Clayton‘s tenure as Marlins manager for the past year and a half. The way the team is performing right now makes it easier to rate Clayton’s tenure more favorably. Sean Millerick: Like all of us, he's a work in progress? Zen take aside, this remains the hardest thing for me to put my finger on for the Marlins. I'm old school enough to think he has to have played a part in building the scrappy, competitive, hard-working, in-every-game-until-the-end clubhouse that has emerged. So for that, he deserves full kudos. Where I get confused is how much control he really has over some of those decisions that get both the most praise and the most scrutiny. On the one hand, I would love it if I felt there were more moments where he looked at the front office spreadsheet and said, "No thanks. Sandy is built different." Or that history matters. Or simply that he's watched Calvin Faucher pitch. But on the other hand, if those spreadsheets say something will work out 60% of the time, he should probably always do that. It's just unfortunate for McCullough that he's had a couple stretches where the 40% outcome came in bunches. Short answer is a B, but like any good Peter Bendix staffer, I need more data. 5. Any specific names who you believe the Marlins should pursue prior to next month's MLB trade deadline? Ely: Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers. He'd bring much-needed swing-and-miss ability to the Marlins rotation. Despite a 4.39 ERA this season (95 ERA+), Detmers has made strides with his control, and on his best days, he's completely dominant. Also, he showed in 2025 that he can be valuable out of the bullpen if needed in that capacity. Crucially for the Marlins, he is under club control through 2028 and will be making far below his market value. I'd be comfortable building a package around pitching prospect Karson Milbrandt to get it done. Kevin: The clear need for the Marlins is at third base, but finding a great right-handed bat on the trade market is tough to do these days. Gleyber Torres could be a name that the Marlins make a trade for. He is on a one-year deal that he took in free agency. He has been hurt for a good chunk of the season, but his past minor league experience at third base and what he can provide in the lineup can truly help this team right now. Our own Louis Addeo-Weiss mentioned Robbie Ray as an option, and I like it. Ray has been good this season and provides length, plus his Giants team will clearly be selling. The sexy move at the deadline would be trading for Aroldis Chapman, who is currently with the Boston Red Sox. It is still unknown if the Red Sox will buy or sell this deadline, but if he is moved, Chapman immediately becomes the closer in Miami to fortify an already-good Marlins bullpen. Louis: Aroldis Chapman, Robbie Ray, Matt Chapman. Time for Sherman to open up the checkbook. Hector: Josh Jung would be an excellent option for the Fish at third base if the Rangers are willing to move him at the trade deadline. Sean McCormack: I would like at least one of three problems I see upgraded: third base (Casey Schmitt), back-end reliever (Garrett Whitlock) and mid-rotation starter on expiring deal (Michael Soroka). Daniel: The name I think the Marlins should look at first is Aroldis Chapman. Sean Millerick: I wouldn't be true to myself if I didn't still say Luis Arraez. All he does is hit, he can play first, and he can even be a backup plan for an Xavier Edwards injury at second now that he's discovered how to play good defense there. Most importantly, though, despite being cursed with left-handedness, he can hit lefties (.321 in 2026, .279 career), which is ultimately all I want from whichever bat Miami does go after. Willson Contreras? Yes, please. Nathaniel Lowe? Still a modest improvement, and one or two modest improvements might be all the Marlins need. Most of the likely third base options don't wow me, so just coming up with better platoon options than Leo Jiménez and Brian Navarreto would be enough to make me happy. Jeff Passan's latest report has me dreaming of Josh Hader in teal, plus it's worth noting that the perennial Marlins trade partner Padres are shopping that Mason Miller guy also. View the full article

The 2026 MLB Draft is in the books, and for a bit, most of the names who just paraded past your eyes will now drop off your radar. As we wait for the team to sign its class, though, it's good to remind ourselves of how important this avenue of player acquisition is. If you want a classic example of a draft that goes well, Milwaukee’s 2018 class fits the bill. In one sense, the final grade for this draft still has not been determined, with the effects of trades and free-agent compensation still rippling. Best Picks: IF Brice Turang and RHP Drew Rasmussen (tie) We have a tie in this spot, even though one of these players was barely in Milwaukee. For Turang, who’s already staked a credible claim as the best second baseman in Milwaukee Brewers history, the case is obvious. The defense alone has been a game-winner, and he's also become a threat on the basepaths. Since 2025, though, his bat has leveled up, and he’s arguably now the best second baseman in MLB. Rasmussen, though, has arguably had an equal impact, even though he only made 27 appearances on the mound. In May 2021, he was one of two pitchers shipped to the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher Trevor Richards and shortstop Willy Adames. Adames, of course, laid his claim as one of the Brewers' all-time greats at shortstop, second only to Robin Yount by the end of the 2024 season when he left as a free agent. Here's the kicker: Rasmussen actually was a 2017 first-round pick by the Rays, who elected not to sign him. So, the Rays eventually got him, but had to cough up an All-Star-caliber shortstop to do so. But the Rasmussen deal can still benefit the Brewers even more. With the departure of Adames came a compensation pick, and shortstop Brady Ebel has looked very impressive in his first full professional season. Honorable Mention: LHP Aaron Ashby Ashby is a great pick, too. He’s a crucial member of the Brewers’ bullpen, even as his contract is slated to jump to $7.7 million in 2027, with $9-million and $13-million team options following that. Injuries did cause a detour from the starting rotation, but a top-end reliever could still fetch a decent trade return in the offseason. More importantly, of course, he's been key to the team's recent success, soaking up innings and putting out fires for a perennial contender. Ones That Got Away: UT David Fry, RHP Reese Olson Fry was one of my personal cheeseballs, a potent right-handed bat with low-grade positional versatility. The Crew sent him to Cleveland in March 2022 to complete an earlier trade for J.C. Mejia, who pitched around a dozen innings for them in 2022 and 2023. This is one trade they probably want back. Fry’s been a valuable bench asset for Cleveland, something the Brewers could have used in recent years. To be fair, though, he's been injury-wrecked and inconsistent at the plate since a brief star turn in October 2024. Reese Olson was a pitching prospect dealt for lefty reliever Daniel Norris, who didn’t work out well for the Brewers. Olson’s occasionally been a decent back-of-the-rotation type for the Tigers. While he's currently on the 60-day injured list, he could have been an asset for Milwaukee and may have helped the team preserve both prospect capital and a competitive-balance pick in early 2025. It's not as though he's proved durable or star-caliber, though, and you have to give up something to fortify playoff-bound pitching staffs. Still Potentially Helpful: LHP Clayton Andrews Andrews was another personal cheeseball, who had a two-way stint for the Advanced-A Carolina Mudcats and Double-A Biloxi Shuckers in 2019 (16 starts in center field—take that, Shohei Ohtani!). But even though he had only four games and 3 1/3 innings pitched, he could still give Milwaukee some benefit. In 2024, the Brewers dealt him to the Yankees for right-handed pitcher Joshua Quezada, who has been collecting a lot of strikeouts and could become decent bullpen help for the Brewers down the road. Quezada is 22 and has spent most of the season in Low A, so don't get too excited, but if any organization can one-red-paperclip their way to value in situations like that one, the Brewers are that outfit. Final Grade: B+ This is an immensely successful draft for the Brewers, who came away with a lot for the picks they made, even as high-ceiling outfield prospects Joe Gray and Micah Bello flamed out and with the trades in which they gave up Fry and Olson not netting them the timely help they hoped for. Still, one cannot really complain about the 2018 draft’s contributions to recent Brewers teams at all. Turang might sign an extension and stick around, but it's more likely he's traded in a couple of years. When he is, it will add new branches to the tree on which the fruits of this class keep appearing. View the full article

The Blue Jays are six games below .500. They've fallen behind the Red Sox and Orioles in the AL East. They're still only 2.5 games back of a Wild Card spot, but they have the fifth-worst record and run differential in the American League. This wasn't the way the Jays were hoping to end the first half of the season, but hopefully, they can take this time off to reset before embarking on a make-or-break 16-games-in-17-days stretch leading up to the trade deadline. Toronto Blue Jays Week in Review (July 6-12) Monday, July 6: SFG 10, TOR 1 Blue Jays finally (and just barely) break their run-scoring drought. Kevin Gausman takes his fourth loss in a row. The bottom five in the order go hitless. Tuesday, July 7: T0R 9, SFG 3 Jonatan Clase hits his first big league home run since last June. (To be fair, he's back in the big leagues for the first time since last June.) The home run dragon is born. Spencer Miles goes four innings against his former organization. The 18 batters he faced in this one set a new career-high. Wednesday, July 8: T0R 10, SFG 0 Dylan Cease takes a no-hitter into the ninth. Daulton Varsho preserves the no-no with a spectacular catch. Kazuma Okamoto hits a grand slam. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer go back-to-back. Friday, July 10: TOR 5, SDP 3 Shane Bieber struggles through another uninspiring start – though he persevered after a long first inning. Okamoto hits his 22nd bomb, tying Shohei Ohtani's record for the most home runs hit by a Japanese-born player in his rookie campaign. Louis Varland earns his 19th consecutive save. He's the first Blue Jays pitcher to save that many games in the first half without any blown saves. Saturday, July 11: SDP 8, TOR 7 Trey Yesavage ends his first half on a rough note. (1.2 IP, 4 ER, 1 H, 7 BB, 1 K) Clase hits his second home run of the week. Guerrero homers for the second time in three days. Alejandro Kirk doubles for the second game in a row. He previously only had two extra-base hits since his return from the IL a month ago. Mason Fluharty makes his 50th appearance of the first half. That's one short of tying Trever Miller for the Blue Jays franchise record. Sunday, July 12: SDP 5, TOR 4 Ernie Clement homers, heads into the break hot. The first-time All-Star had a hit in every game this week. Gausman makes a quality start, but the Blue Jays drop their sixth straight game with him on the mound. He hasn't collected a win since May 22. Jeff Hoffman blows it for his fourth blown save and fifth loss. He was so close to entering the break on a hot streak. Toronto Blue Jays Transactions of the Week Chad Dallas recalled (and optioned again). Yohendrick Piñango optioned. Daz Cameron signs an MiLB deal. Ryan Sprock in, Tommy Nance out. (Trade thread) CJ Van Eyk gets his first MLB call-up. Blue Jays select 19 amateur players in the 2026 MLB Draft. Toronto Blue Jays Injury Updates of the Week Max Scherzer makes another rehab start. (4.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 5 K) Jesús Sánchez is getting ready to start a rehab assignment. Addison Barger will be "reevaluated" after the break. Auspicious or ominous? Yimi García is supposedly building back up again. View the full article

As we cruise into the All-Star break, Jason Wang and Jake McKibbin look back on how the season has gone and what to expect in the second half. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

San Diego Padres Weekly Snapshot Record last week: 4-3 Runs scored last week: 31 Runs allowed last week: 32 (season run differential: minus-43) Scores Game 90 (Monday): Diamondbacks 8, Padres 0 Game 91 (Tuesday): Padres 4, Diamondbacks 1 Game 92 (Wednesday): Padres 10, Diamondbacks 4 Game 93 (Thursday): Diamondbacks 3, Padres 1 Game 94 (Friday): Blue Jays 5, Padres 3 Game 95 (Saturday): Padres 8, Blue Jays 7 Game 96 (Sunday): Padres 5, Blue Jays 4 Week in Review and Highlights Diamondbacks series Game 1: No need to sugarcoat this. The Padres' players, as much as the fans, know how important of a stretch the team is in this week with the All-Star break and trade deadline looming. Facing an Arizona Diamondbacks team that was tied with the Friars entering the four-game series, the Padres came off an uplifting victory Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers and were flat in an 8-0 loss. The game started with a Ketel Marte triple that wasn't played well by center fielder Jackson Merrill set the tone. “We just played an overall bad game,” Padres third baseman Manny Machado said. “There was a lot to it.” There certainly was. For starters, right-hander Walker Buehler turned in a second straight stinker. After giving up nine runs in four innings in the 23-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs, Buehler gave up seven runs, including two homers, in five innings vs. the D'backs: two in the first, four in the third and another in the fourth. Before those two games, Buehler had been the most consistent Padres starter, even if that isn't saying a great deal. Buehler's ERA, at 3.96 four starts ago, now sits at 5.07. Much like the Padres, the D'backs have been a Jekyll-and-Hyde team. No clearer example of that is right-handed starter Brandon Pfaadt, who was just recently promoted from Triple-A and came into the game with a 5.84 ERA. But Pfaadt, who has a career ERA of 5.10, struck out six in five shutout innings, only giving up four hits and no walks. The Friars did finish with eight hits as Merrill and Jake Cronenworth each had a pair. Game 2: Listen, we're all looking for signs of positivity from the Padres at the moment. But when Cronenworth, who just came back at the beginning of the previous week from missing two months due to getting hit in the face by a pitch and sustaining a concussion, took a grounder to the face during batting practice. The scary situation ended up just being a bloody nose. But then Cronenworth, playing first base, booted a grounder by the second batter of the game. Not a good start. Cronenworth bounced back and made a splash, cranking a three-run second-inning homer that sent the Padres to a 4-1 victory over the D'backs. The home run came in Cronenworth's first game back at Petco Park since going on the concussion list. Cronenworth is showing how valuable his bat can be. After an 0-for-4 start upon his return, Cronenworth has been 9-for-25 with a pair of homers and six RBIs in seven games. Surprisingly, that would be about all the offense the Padres would need. That is because right-hander German Marquez, in his first start since coming off the 15-day injured list with right forearm irritation, stunned most everyone by going five innings and allowing just a run on three hits. He did walk three, while striking out four. His velocity was back up around 98 mph on his four-seamer after topping out at 95.3 in his start before going on the IL. But it looked grim in the first inning as Marquez gave up an unearned run (due to Cronenworth's error) while battling through 31 pitches, which had to send manager Craig Stammen into a bit of a panic with his bullpen possibly having to cover a lot of innings. Marquez held steady and made it through five innings, a distance he went just once during his six-game rehab assignment, on 82 pitches. Left-hander Yuki Matsui gave up a couple of singles in the sixth inning, which prompted Stammen to call upon right-hander Jhony Brito, who was pitching in his first game since 2024 after having elbow and flexor tendon surgery in April of last year. Brito's first pitch was hit for an inning-ending double play, then he had a perfect seventh inning, paving the way for right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez and closer Mason Miller, who locked down his 23rd save in as many chances with a pair of strikeouts. Game 3: For once in quite a while, the Padres had a game where the other team looked sloppy. They capitalized on a rookie pitcher making his fourth career start by pounding out 13 hits and Friars right-handed starter Michael King looked good again in a 10-4 victory over the D'backs. It didn't start well for King, who gave up just the second first-inning run of his season on a walk, a steal and a double. Yet he recovered very nicely to make it through six innings on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Yeah, the D'backs aren't a world-beating offense, but this was the type of performance the Padres will need from King the rest of the season. Meanwhile, the Padres rattled D'backs right-hander Jose Cabrera utilizing small ball. That was clear in the fifth inning. Already up 2-1, Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit by a pitch with one out and stole second. Merrill hit a comebacker to Cabrera, who spun and made an ill-advised throw to second to try and get Tatis, who dove back safely with Merrill reaching first. Tatis continued dancing off second and provoked Cabrera to balk the runners up a base. With the infield drawn in, Xander Bogaerts grounded a single off the shortstop's glove and into shallow left to score both runners to make it 4-1. The Padres then pounced on the D'backs' bullpen in the sixth for four runs, including Luis Campusano's first home run since coming back from his broken left big toe over the weekend. Sung-Mun Song, Tatis and Merrill added RBI singles as contributions came throughout the order. An unsung star was Miguel Andujar, who had three doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Campusano also had a pair of hits for the second game in a row as the Padres reached double digits in runs for the first time since May 5 and just the third time this year. Game 4: Facing the guy who said state taxes made the difference in choosing to remain in Arizona rather than sign with the Padres, the Friars had a tough time doing anything against right-handed starter Merrill Kelly in a 3-1 loss to the D'backs, settling for a split of the four-game series. The loss also put the Padres below .500 again at 46-47. If it wasn't for Machado, who blasted his team-leading 19th homer to begin the second inning and a fourth-inning single, it would have been worse. As it was, the Padres totaled just three hits (Tatis had the other in the third inning), while also getting three walks, including two by Campusano. In other words, Merrill was pretty good, striking out six over seven innings. Padres pitching was good, just not good enough for this game. Right-hander Griffin Canning still didn't give enough length, but did go 4⅔ innings, his longest in five outings since three straight five-inning starts. The encouraging thing is that the Friars did not use an opener with Canning, who did allow two runs on seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts. This was his first start this season without a walk. Matsui, however, did walk a pair and gave up a run in following Canning before Rodriguez, left-hander Wandy Peralta and left-hander Adrian Morejon finished things off. With a chance to win three out four against a team the Padres will be battling for an NL wild-card spot, it was a tough loss. Blue Jays series Game 1: This was a bit of a microcosm of the season. The Padres produced double-digit hits and sprinkled in three walks, but could time their production to manufacture more runs. It turned into a 5-3 loss against a struggling Toronto Blue Jays team. The Friars started out with a bang as Bogaerts smashed his ninth homer, a two-run shot, in the bottom of the first for a 2-0 lead. Yet that would be the extent of run production until Merrill's ninth-inning RBI single. While the Padres were facing a pitcher with a quality pedigree in right-hander Shane Bieber, they did manage six hits and three walks in 4⅔ innings, but couldn't deliver a true knockout blow. The Jays' bullpen was stingy after that, allowing just one hit until the ninth inning. Padres left-handed starter JP Sears was solid, but went just 4⅓ innings, giving up three runs on six hits with a walk and three strikeouts. After giving up a run in the fourth, he exited after yielding singles to two of the first three batters he faced in the fifth. A slumping Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had an RBI single off Brito, then Kazuma Okamoto delivered the big blow, a three-run homer, his 22nd, for a 5-2 lead. Aside from Bogaerts' homer, three Friars had two hits in Machado, Ty France and Rodolfo Duran. Game 2: Sometimes a bad trait infects both teams for a game. This was one of those times. The Padres benefited from 11 walks, but also issued six free passes of their own. It was the Friars who took better advantage and walked away having survived an 8-7 victory over the Jays thanks to France's solo homer in the bottom of the sixth. Oh, and neither starter made it past the second inning. It was that type of game. The Padres pounced on rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage, a Jays postseason hero last year, who gave up just one hit, but walked seven while getting just five outs, leading to. pair of two-run innings in the first and second. But Buehler again wasn't good as he walked four over two innings, leading to a four-run second inning. The Padres took the lead again with their third two-run burst in the first three innings, this one courtesy of Sung-Mun Song's two-run single to center. Cronenworth tacked on a sacrifice fly in the fourth to make it 7-4. The Jays showed some fight by pushing across three runs in the top of the sixth against Matsui to tie it, but France's 11th homer made the difference. Game 3: This seven-game homestand and the first half may not have gone the way the Padres hoped, but they did end it on a positive note. Behind a three-hit day from Machado, including a tying single in the eighth inning, and France's go-ahead sacrifice fly after, the Padres pulled out a 5-4 victory over the Jays. Now, they enter the All-Star break having won twice to get back to .500 at 48-48. This will be a good feeling for a team that hasn't had too much to be proud of since a hot April. They are just 17-27 since a win on May 23 had them a half-game out of first place in the NL West. The Friars are now in third place, a whopping 12½ games out of first and 3½ games from the final NL postseason slot. The Padres only scored in two innings, but that was enough. Trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the second, Cronenworth had an RBI single, Song a bases-loaded walk and France scoring on a balk for a 3-1 advantage. The Jays tied it in the fourth against Marquez, making his second start in a row, then took the lead in the eighth with a run against Morejon. Bogaerts started the rally in the bottom of the eighth with a single and his 12th stolen base. Machado's third hit of the day was a line single to center to easily plate Bogaerts, tying the game 4-4. Machado went to second on a Gavin Sheets groundout, then was replaced by pinch-runner Jace Bowen, who promptly stole third. France cranked a 1-1 pitch to the warning track in right-center for a sac fly, bringing in Bowen with the go-ahead run. Then it was time for Miller to do what he does. The All-Star closer sealed the deal with a groundout, a popup and a strikeout of Guerrero for his 25th save in 25 chances. With four days off to get away from baseball a bit, the Padres can relax before hitting the road for a 10-game road trip to Kansas City, Atlanta and Miami. Marvelous Mason Miller Some of the amazing stats for the Padres' closer: Season stats: 2-1, 0.91 ERA, 38 games, 25 saves (25 chances), 39⅔ IP, 18 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 13 BB, 72 K, .134 opponent average Miller is three saves shy of his career best of 28 set in 2024, his first full season in the majors. According to OptaStats, he is the first player to have an ERA below 1.00 and a more than 16 strikeouts per nine innings through 35 appearances since 1913, when earned runs were first tracked. His 25 saves are tied for second-most in MLB with Bryan Baker of the Tampa Bay Rays. Cade Smith of the Cleveland Guardians leads with 28. Random Stats Jake Cronenworth did not have an error in 34 games and 126 chances before going on the concussion list made four errors in his first eight games and 41 chances since coming back. The Padres and Blue Jays entered the series having played just 24 times in their histories, tied for the second-fewest of any two teams behind the 22 by the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets. After starting the season 13-1 in games in which they had 10 or more hits, the Padres have lost seven of their last 11 such games. With 11 combined walks in the first two innings Saturday, the Padres-Blue Jays game was the fourth in the Expansion Era (1961) to have at least that many. Joe Musgrove officially hit 10 years of service time Saturday, a huge milestone for players. Transactions Tuesday: Recalled RHP Jhony Brito from Triple-A El Paso. Tuesday: Optioned RHP Alek Jacob to Triple-A El Paso. Wednesday: Placed LF Samad Taylor on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain. Wednesday: Selected the contract of 3B Luis Rengifo from Triple-A El Paso. Wednesday: Sent C Freddy Fermin on a rehab assignment to Triple-A El Paso. Wednesday: Signed free-agent LF Dustin Harris to a minor-league contract. Saturday: Activated RHP Matt Waldron from the 15-day injured list. Saturday: Optioned RHP Jhony Brito to Triple-A El Paso. Website Highlights Padres select Coleman Borthwick in the first round of MLB Draft — Steve Drumwright Merrill's issues with fastballs finally has an origin — Randy Holt Matsui is the Padres' escape artist — Yirsandy Rodriguez Padres system analysis: Trades have depleted majority of prospect capital — Steve Drumwright Rodriguez's changeup has changed everything — Yirsandy Rodriguez Looking Ahead Monday: Home Run Derby, 5 p.m. Tuesday: All-Star Game, 5 p.m. Wednesday: Off Thursday: Off Friday: Padres at Royals, 5:10 p.m. Saturday: Padres at Royals, 1:10 p.m. Sunday: Padres at Royals, 11:10 a.m. View the full article

What Pete Crow-Armstrong is doing this season—and, in particular, what he's been doing since about the fourth week of May—is stunning, but you know that. He's putting together one of the best individual seasons in Cubs history, pending a second half in which he must prove he can sustain this level of intensity and brilliance. But you know that, too. What you might not know is, he's already soared up the Cubs' all-time leaderboard when it comes to blending power and speed—not over a year or two, but over a whole career. Though he's only 24 years old, Crow-Armstrong already has 62 homers and 88 steals for his career, including 21 and 24 this season. He passed Billy Williams and Corey Patterson in steals in a Cubs uniform in the final week before the All-Star break. He also passed Jose Cardenal on the team's career home run leaderboard. That leaves just five players who have played since the start of the Live Ball Era who have both hit more homers and stolen more bases than Crow-Armstrong during their time with Chicago. Here they are, with their Cubs totals in both categories, so you can see just how good a chance he has to go down as the most prolific progenitor of excitement in Cubs history. Kiki Cuyler: 79 homers, 161 steals This one almost doesn't count, because steals were counted very differently before about World War II and some steals totals from that period are quite inflated. We'll keep Cuyler around, though, because Crow-Armstrong is benefiting in his own way from the era in which he plays. None of these guys compiled their steals against pitchers who had to get the ball off before a clock hit :00, after all, and those hurlers could throw over to first as many times as they wished. Cuyler is a Hall of Famer, though he only played about half his illustrious career with the Cubs. That stint did include being on two pennant-winning clubs, though, and he hit well in his two World Series with the team. Homers weren't the driver of the offensive explosion in the NL in the late 1920s and early 1930s, but Cuyler showed good power for his time. He also hit for average, controlled the zone and led the NL in steals three times in a row when he first joined the Cubs via a trade with Pittsburgh in late 1927. He played more right than center, and wasn't quite the all-around dominator Crow-Armstrong has been in spurts over the last two years, but he was one of the 10 or 15 best players in the league for a few years. Crow-Armstrong could pass him in career homers by early next season, if he stays healthy. Leon Durham: 138 homers, 98 steals Those who remember Durham only dimly, having been too young to experience his arrival and ascent, might be surprised that he stole so many times. Truthfully, he shouldn't have. Durham was much more athletic than most first basemen and always did take a base when teams paid too little attention, but over half his steals as a Cub came in his first two seasons with the club, when he was still an outfielder. He grabbed 25 bags in 1981 and 28 in 1982, which sounds nice—but he was caught a combined 25 times in those two years. If the old days inflated by steals by counting plays we would not now dub steals and we now see inflation based on the rules, the 1980s saw inflation in steal totals simply because no one told inefficient basestealers to stop making needless outs. Crow-Armstrong will probably pass Durham in steals before this year is over. Shawon Dunston: 107 homers, 175 steals A two-time All-Star shortstop for the North Siders, Dunston got to these numbers partially via skill—he was certainly a better baserunner than Durham, usually succeeding enough that even a modern manager would give him the green light—and partially via an accumulation of playing time. He never hit more than 17 home runs in a season. As torrid a pace as Crow-Armstrong is on, you can't race past a guy who spent parts of 12 seasons with the team as easily as you can sail past the likes of Cuyler and Durham. Even if he stays healthy and keeps raking, he might not pass Dunston in homers until 2028. Sammy Sosa: 545 homers, 181 steals I urged a comp between the skill sets and career arcs of Crow-Armstrong and the young, dynamic version of Sosa for a long time. In some sense, Sosa remains the power-speed standard of Cubs history; he had two 30/30 seasons and two more 20/20 ones. If not for the 1994 strike and a season-ending injury in 1996, he could well have three 30/30 campaigns and a 50/20 one, which Crow-Armstrong might never match. Still, Sosa was never quite as well-rounded as Crow-Armstrong is at this moment. Whether you credit a change in the ball, PED use, hitting coach Jeff Pentland or the double expansions of 1993 and 1998 watering down the league's pitching talent for it all, Sosa's emergence as a full-fledged superstar slugger in 1998 coincided with him reaching his late 20s and losing his basestealing nous. He started walking more (though still not as much as Crow-Armstrong has over the last month and a half), but ran less, in addition to playing worsening defense. There's a lot of wood to chop here. By all indications, Crow-Armstrong has plenty of time left to run the bases well, and he's getting on base so much that his steal rate hasn't dropped even as his slugging has surged. Still, he probably needs the rest of this year and four more to catch Sosa in the steals department. As delightful as it is to watch him execute his gameplan and launch homers, it seems virtually unthinkable that he'll hit 500-plus homers for the team. Plan on seeing him best Sosa on the bases, and not until 2030. Ryne Sandberg: 282 homers, 344 steals Nobody stays healthy and good long enough to steal 344 bases anymore. The active leader is Starling Marte (did you know he was still active? He's a Royal!), at 362, but he's spent 15 years compiling those numbers. Only three more guys (Trea Turner, Jose Altuve and José Ramírez) have more than 250. Crow-Armstrong has a fast start at a young age working for him, but don't count on him eclipsing Sandberg, and even if he does get to that total, it might be in his mid-30s, on some other team. No, the better chance for him to get to the top of this mountain lies in continuing to hit for massive power. He'd need to stick around for his whole long-term contract and be a fearsome slugger the whole time, but that one is possible. Either way, it'll be fun to watch him launch his assault on this bit of Cubs history. Sandberg is the most balanced and beloved power-speed guy in Cubs history. Crow-Armstrong might get past everyone else rather easily, but he has to stay at a superstar level for a long time to catch Ryno. View the full article

Comrade Cody and Ol Gregg start off the Twins Off-Daily Podcast All-Star Break Podnanza with a player-by-player grading for all 47 players who have played for the Twins this season. Who gets an A, who gets an F, and who was bailed out by an Incomplete? And Gregg does a Plinkett voice. Listen using Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-twins-off-daily-podcast/id1741266056 Listen using Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4tb78XlurcPTYYSsARdbD7 Listen using iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-twins-off-daily-podcas-167548600/ Listen using Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/nvclbt0w Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twinsdaily View the full article